Former NFL wide receiver Michael Jackson, who died Friday in a motorcycle accident, will be remembered as one of the first faces of the Baltimore Ravens franchise.

Before linebacker Ray Lewis established himself as a star, it was Jackson's warm smile and bald head that fans repeatedly saw after the team relocated from Cleveland to Baltimore in 1996.

Jackson was one of the three players invited to the city when the team’s name was unveiled and one of the first to model the new uniforms at a downtown event. In addition to his appearances on radio and TV, he also was one of the first and last to sign autographs for fans during training camp.

The move of the football team coincided with a surprising transformation for Jackson on the field. After playing in the shadow of Andre Rison in Cleveland, Jackson became a go-to receiver for the first time in his six-year NFL career. Jackson used his long arms, especially on stiff-arm maneuvers, and leaping ability to overmatch shorter cornerbacks. At 6-foot-4, he simply outjumped defenders for many of his NFL-best 14 touchdowns in 1996.

It was more than a physical game for Jackson. He liked to bait defenders before the snap, telling them what route he was going to run. "Some [cornerbacks] would take heed, but most didn't," Jackson told The Baltimore Sun. "In those situations, the truth is the last thing a person will believe."

In his 10th game as a Raven, he confronted a fan in Jacksonville who was heckling him from his seat in the end zone. "I told the guy, 'I'm going to catch a touchdown pass right here, in this [left] corner, and then I'll throw the ball to you,'" Jackson said.

Backing up his words, he caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Vinny Testaverde just before halftime on the spot he had predicted. Jackson then launched the ball toward the stands.

"I must have thrown it pretty hard because the [NFL] fined me $500," he said.

The Ravens lacked many things in their early years, but, thanks to Jackson, there was no shortage of flash. He arrived in Baltimore wearing one gold earring and driving a Mercedes convertible. It sat outside the club at every party he hosted in Baltimore.

Jackson’s closet was equally legendary. "All of us on the team had one or two suits," offensive lineman Wally Williams said. "Michael had a collection."

Jackson’s wardrobe consisted of 30 custom-made suits, each with matching alligator shoes.

"Michael is a tall, lanky guy. He looked even taller in the suits," Williams said. “His jacket alone was 6 feet tall."

In many ways, Jackson frequently stood above the rest in the Ravens' early days in Baltimore.