Ryan Mink

When Michael Phelps heard the call to help the Ravens swim, he sprang from the starting block like he was right back in the Olympics.

"I seriously had not seen him that excited for a long, long time," said Cathy Bennett, the program manager of the Michael Phelps Foundation.

After cornerback Marlon Humphrey and teammates asked Phelps to teach players to swim on July 29 in a viral social media post, the gears went into motion, figuring out how to pull it off. Two weeks later, the most decorated Olympian of all time and huge Ravens fan came home to Baltimore on a mission.

Phelps took a tour of the Ravens' new recovery pool and watched training camp practice. After practice, the 23-time gold medalist and fellow Ravens legend (and good friend) Ray Lewis gave the team a motivational speech about what it takes to rise up in the biggest moments.

But the main reason for Phelps' visit was to teach the Ravens to swim. Humphrey started it all after he noticed one day that some of his teammates couldn't fully enjoy the Under Armour Performance Center's new pool. That got the inquisitive and outgoing Humphrey asking around, trying to figure out how widespread this was, and he, Kyle Hamilton, Ronnie Stanley, and Charlie Kolar filmed the humorous film claiming that about one-third of the team didn't know how to swim.

So, after Tuesday's practice, the team loaded onto buses and departed for Loyola College's Mangione Aquatic Center. While not every player jumped in, the vast majority of Ravens players traded in their jerseys for swim trunks and goggles. Humphrey tried his best to coax the others into the pool.

A chunk of the team went for the diving boards for a competition that seemed less about form and more about splash power. Tyler Linderbaum had the highlight with a high-dive back flop that sent his teammates into hysterics.

The competitive side of the players took over, and they raced each other and Phelps. Hamilton and long snapper Nick Moore were two of the Ravens' fastest swimmers. One of Phelps' sons, Beckett, also raced some Ravens.

Another group of Ravens remained in the shallow end, where they received lessons from members of theMichael Phelps Foundation, which provides families with the tools and support to be more confident and comfortable in the water and in life.

Phelps tried to teach 341-pound defensive tackle Travis Jones how to kick more gracefully with the assistance of a pool noodle.

Linebacker Roquan Smith was one of the Ravens' most engaged learners throughout the entire session.

"If I have to swim less than 20 yards, I could survive somehow because I could doggy paddle," Smith said. "But as far as actually swimming and knowing how to breathe and things of that nature, honestly, it was my first time. It was really cool. It was really solid, some of the lessons they gave me. I feel a little more confident."

Stanley knew how to swim, but said Phelps gave him pointers on keeping his shoulders tight during his stroke, like he's swimming in an MRI machine.

"This was an amazing day," Stanley said. "I think that's the greatest athlete of all time. To be able to share the water with him and actually swim laps against him and get coaching points after swimming against him, it was very surreal. I don't know that I've ever felt that way, to be honest."

For Phelps, it was a chance to further his mission while being with his favorite team. He called himself "the biggest Ravens fan on the planet." But on Tuesday, he got a chance to give back.

Before they jumped in the water, he told the players that he didn't like getting his face wet when he was a kid, so he started with backstroke. But it's about taking the small steps to overcome your fears, and he eventually became the most decorated swimmer of all time.

"I didn't know what I was getting into. I had no idea what their comfort level was," Phelps said. "When I see the guys in there and some of the guys who are literally working on floating and breathing, and they're focused on paying attention to those details, it shows their vulnerability, especially when they're uncomfortable.

"It was a special day. Racing some of the fellas in the 25 [meter]. My son raced some of the guys. It was a great day. I truly hope they learned something, hopefully got some confidence, and hopefully can transition into something else."