Ray Lewis (NFL)

Ray Anthony Lewis (born May 15, 1975 in Bartow, Florida) is an American football linebacker for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens.

Lewis is widely considered to be one of the best linebackers in NFL history, known for his immense knowledge of the game, tremendous strength, sideline-sideline quickness, trash talking and hard hitting capability. In January 2001, Lewis led Baltimore to a Super Bowl XXXV victory and was named "Most Valuable Player" for that game.

Lewis played college football at the University of Miami and left the university before graduating to pursue a career in the NFL. In the 1996 NFL Draft, he was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round with the 26th overall pick. In his career with the Ravens, Lewis has consistently gained over 100 solo tackles each season with the Ravens.

College Achievements

Lewis was a three year starter at Miami and declared eligblity for the draft after his Junior season. Earned consensus 1st team All-American and All-Big East Honors his Junior year. Finished Junior season with 160 tackles (2nd highest in team history, since Ed Weisacosky's 164 in 1965) as recorded by the University of Miami. Finished College career 5th on Miami's all-time tackles chart with 388 career stops, including 19 TFL and 6 sacks.

NFL Achievements

Lewis won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2000 and 2003. In 2003 Ray Lewis became just the sixth player to win the Defensive Player of the Year award multiple times (Lawrence Taylor - 3 times, Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith and Reggie White - 2 times each). Has career statistics (as credited by NFL.com) of 1286 total tackles, 52 passes defended, 23 sacks and 21 interceptions in 134 total games. Lewis has been selected to seven NFL Pro Bowl games in the eight years where he was eligible (ineligible in 2002 and 2005 due to injury) and has been named a starter in six. Lewis led the NFL in tackles 4 times (1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003) and led all linebackers in interceptions with six in 2003. Named an NFL AP/Consensus All-Pro in the years 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2004.

Season By Season Achievements

Was the 4th linebacker selected in the 1996 NFL Draft. Earned USA Today's All-Rookie team honors after leading the Ravens in tackles in the 1996 season.

Won the "John Mackey Award" in 1997, as voted by his peers, as the AFC's best linebacker in just his second year. Was selected to the Pro-Bowl for five consecutive seasons (1997-2001) until his streak was cut short by a season ending injury in 2002.

In 1998 and 1999, Lewis made his second and third trips to the Pro Bowl after leading the Ravens for the 3rd straight year with 154 tackles. He was also tabbed for The Sporting News All-Pro Team in 1998' and led the NFL in tackles in 1999.

In 2000, Lewis led a defense which set a 16-game single season record for fewest points allowed (165) and fewest rushing yards allowed (970). The team recorded 4 shutouts, 1 shy of the single season record. Lewis finished 1st league-wide in 6 key defensive categories. Lewis won Superbowl XXXV MVP honors, Defensive Player of the Year honors, 1st team All-Pro honors by AP, and a unanimous All-Pro selection in 2000. He also started in the Pro Bowl.

In 2001, Lewis earned his 5th consecutive Pro Bowl when he led the NFL in tackles (196) and earned 1st-team All-Pro honors.

In 2002, Lewis was limited to only 5 games in 2002 due to a shoulder injury. He still managed to rank 5th on the team with 85 tackles in those 5 games and also posted 2 INTs, 2 PD, 1 FF and 1 FR in 2002. Earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors week 3 vs. Denver after posting 20 tackles (12 solo), 2 PD and an INT on "Monday Night Football".

Lewis was the leading vote-getter (49 of 50) in 2003 as he earned 1st-team AP All-Pro honors. He earned AP NFL defensive player of the year Honors and also earned Pro Football Weekly, PFWA and Football Digest Defensive MVP honors. Was named to Dr. Z's Sports Illustrated All-Pro team, Pro Football Weekly's All-NFL team, Pro Football Weekly's All-AFC team, Football Digest's All-Pro 1st-team, The Sporting News' All-Pro team and received the KC 101 AFC Defensive Player of the Year award for the 3rd time.

In 2004, Lewis was also named 1st-team All Pro by the AP, 2nd-team All Pro by College and Pro Football Weekly and Football Digest and All Pro by The Sporting News in 2004.

Lewis' 2005 season was cut short again by injury in week 6, and he was placed on injured reserve in week 8. The injury left him on the sideline for the 10 remaining games of the season. Although injured, Lewis still amassed over 40 tackles a sack, and an interception.

Arrest for murder

Lewis's public image was tarnished, however, following a Super Bowl party on January 31, 2000, when he was arrested along with his friends Reginald Oakley and Joseph Sweeting for the murders of Jacinth Baker and Richard Lollar. Baker and Lollar were stabbed to death outside a nightclub during a fight in the Buckhead district of Atlanta. To avoid prosecution of the murder charge, Lewis copped a plea bargain wherein he pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice, and agreed to testify against Oakley and Sweeting. Oakley and Sweeting hired noted Atlanta criminal defense attorneys L. David Wolfe, Bruce Harvey, and Steve Sadow, very high priced legal representation, that some commentators have suggested were paid for by Lewis. They were found not guilty in June, 2000. No other suspects have ever been arrested for this crime, and to this day, the Atlanta P.D. and D.A.'s office believe that Lewis' associates were guilty, but were unable to make the charges stick. On April 29, 2004, Lewis reached a settlement with four-year-old India Lollar, who was born shortly after Lollar's death. The Baltimore Sun reported that Lewis has agreed to pay at least $1 million. The settlement pre-empted a civil trial scheduled to begin on June 14. A suit filed by Baker's family was settled previously for undisclosed terms.

NFL career

Since the murder allegations, Lewis's image has slowly recovered, and today he is considered one of the most dominant linebackers in the National Football League and one of the best ever to play the game. He also has gained several national corporate endorsements, most of which draw upon his tough image. In 2004, Lewis was placed on the cover of the Madden NFL 2005 video game distributed by EA Sports. Before each Ravens homegame where the defense is introduced, Lewis will do a pregame dance. Terrell Owens once parodied the dance after scoring a touchdown against the Ravens.

According to a column written on February 11, 2006, by Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun, Lewis demanded to be traded before the 2005 season began and after the season concluded due to being disgruntled with the team for not renegotiating his contract. Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome and head coach Brian Billick have denied these claims in separate instances. When asked by a Comcast SportsNet reporter if he supported Billick's return as head coach, Lewis refused to comment.

References

External links

Ray Lewis (Football)