Ray Anthony Lewis (born May 15, 1975) is an American football linebacker who currently plays for the Baltimore Ravens. He has played for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL) since 1996. Lewis has been selected to ten Pro Bowls and been named an Associated Press All-Pro eight times. He won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2000 and 2003; he was the sixth player to win the award multiple times. He was also the second linebacker to win the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award and the first linebacker to win the award on the winning Super Bowl team.
Biography
Playing career
University of Miami
As a freshman at the University of Miami, Lewis was an immediate contributor and became a starter for the Hurricanes' final five games. He compiled 81 tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss, and four pass deflections in route to being named to the freshman All-American team.
In his sophomore season, Lewis earned 1st team All-American and All-Big East Conference honors. Lewis led the Big East with 152 tackles and also contributed 9 tackle for a loss, 2 sacks, and an interception for a Hurricanes team that would finish #6 in both the writers' and coaches' polls.
Lewis' junior campaign was another successful one as he was once again named to the All-American and All-Big East teams. He was also the runner up for the Butkus Award. Lewis finished his junior season with 160 tackles, the 2nd highest in University of Miami team history behind only Ed Weisacosky's 164 in 1965. Lewis also totaled eight tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble, four pass deflections and one touchdown. Against West Virginia University, Lewis contributed fifteen tackles.
Ray led the Big East in tackles his final 2 seasons and accumulated the 5th most in Miami history despite playing only 3 seasons.
After the 1995 season, Lewis decided to forgo his final year of college eligibility and enter the NFL draft. In the 1996 NFL Draft, he was selected in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens with the 26th overall pick. Lewis would eventually earn his undergraduate degree in Arts and Science in 2004 at the University of Maryland University College.
Baltimore Ravens
The fifth linebacker selected in the 1996 NFL Draft, many scouts considered him to be too small to play linebacker. Lewis earned USA Today's All-Rookie team honors after leading the Ravens in tackles (110) in the 1996 season. His 15 tackles for loss led the NFL. He added 2.5 sacks, 6 pass deflections, and an interception on the season.
Lewis recorded an NFL best 184 tackles in 1997, earning his first Pro Bowl berth at the end of that season. In addition, Lewis totaled 4 sacks, an interception, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and 11 pass deflections.
In 1998, Lewis made his second trip to the Pro Bowl after recording 120 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 interceptions, a forced fumble, and 7 pass deflections leading the Ravens in tackles for the third consecutive season. He was also named to The Sporting News All-Pro Team. In what would prove to be Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders' final game, Lewis and the rest of the Ravens defense held him to just 41 rushing yards.
In 1999, Lewis led the NFL in tackles with 168. He was named to a third straight Pro Bowl and was named to the All-Pro 1st team. He also totaled 3.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, 8 pass deflections,safety, and a forced fumble.
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 four shutouts, one shy of the single season record. The unit finished 1st league-wide in six key defensive categories. Lewis won Super Bowl XXXV MVP honors, Defensive Player of the Year honors, earned a unanimous All-Pro selection, and was once again named to start in the Pro Bowl. Lewis' regular season total of 137 tackles once again led the Ravens, and Lewis added 31 tackles, two interceptions, nine pass deflections, one fumble recovery and a touchdown in the four game playoff run.
In 2001, Lewis earned his 5th consecutive Pro Bowl selection when he led the NFL in tackles 162 and earned 1st-team All-Pro honors. Lewis scored a touchdown in the 2002 Pro Bowl. In the Raven's 2 playoff games Lewis totaled 17 tackles, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 pass deflection.
In 2002, Lewis was limited to five games due to a shoulder injury. He still managed to rank 5th on the team with 58 tackles. In addition, Lewis earned two interceptions, two pass deflections, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Lewis earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in Week 4 vs. the Denver Broncos after posting 18 tackles (11 solo), two pass deflections and an interception on "Monday Night Football". After having been selected to the Pro Bowl for five consecutive seasons (1997-2001), Lewis's streak was stopped by his season ending injury.
Lewis was the leading vote recipient for the 2003 AP All-Pro team, earning 49 of 50 votes. He also won the annual AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year with 43 votes out of 50. Additionally, Lewis earned Pro Football Weekly, PFWA and Football Digest Defensive MVP honors and 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, and The Sporting News' All-Pro team. Leis also earned the KC 101 AFC Defensive Player of the Year award for the 3rd time and finished with 161 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 6 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 14 pass deflections, and 1 touchdown.. He was named NFL Defensive Player of the Month for November and AFC Defensive Player of the week for his fifteen-tackle, one-interception performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17. In the playoffs Lewis totaled 17 tackles.
In 2004, Lewis was 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. He finished the season with 146 total tackles, 1 sack, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 fumble forced, and 6 pass deflections.
Lewis' 2005 season was cut short by a week 6 injury. He was placed on injury reserve in week 8, having amassed 46 tackles, a sack, an interception, 2 pass deflections, and a fumble recovery in the season's first 6 games.
In 2006, Lewis led the Ravens defense to an NFL best ranking in 14 major defensive categories, including total yards allowed, points per game allowed, and interceptions. The Ravens also finished second in sacks, take-aways, and rushing yards allowed. Lewis missed two games due to injury but still recorded 103 tackles, a personal best five sacks, two interceptions, and eight pass deflections in 14 Games. He also forced a fumble and recovered one. The Ravens allowed just one 100-yard rushing performance in the 14 games Lewis played. Lewis was named AFC Defensive Player of the week following his 7 tackle, one sack, and three pass deflection performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. He was also selected to the Pro Bowl but withdrew because of a hand injury, ceding his spot to fellow Ravens Linebacker Bart Scott.) Lewis finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Lewis totaled 15 tackles and a pass deflection in the playoffs.
Despite the Baltimore Ravens mediocre 2007 season, Ray Lewis was the team's leading tackler. Against the Browns, Lewis recorded 16 tackles, recovered a fumble and returned an interception for a touchdown. He also earned his 9th Pro Bowl nod in his 12 year career. He finished the season with 120 total tackles, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 10 passes deflected, 2 Interceptions and 1 touchdown.
In 2008 Lewis led the Ravens to the AFC Championship game while totaling 117 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, and 9 passes deflected. He was named a starter to the Pro Bowl (his 10th) and was named an Associated Press 1st Team All-Pro for the sixth time. In addition, Lewis was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week following his 8 tackle, 2 interception, 2 pass deflection performance against the Houston Texans in Week 10. In the playoffs, Lewis totaled 29 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 pass deflection in 3 games. After the season, Lewis became an unrestricted free agent, but agreed to return to the Baltimore Ravens to complete his career. The contract, which runs through 2015 (including two option years), is said to be worth $10 million the first year but is highly incentivized.
At the conclusion of the 2008 season, Lewis has career totals of 1,636 total tackles, 1255 solo, 12 forced fumbles, 98 passes defended, 88 tackles for loss, 33.5 sacks, 15 fumble recoveries, 28 interceptions, one safety and two touchdowns in 178 games. Lewis has been selected to ten NFL Pro Bowl games in his thirteen seasons and led the NFL in tackles five times (1997, 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2007). In 2003, Lewis led all linebackers with six interceptions, a total matching the all-time record for a middle linebacker in a single season. Lewis was named 1st team Associated Press All-Pro in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008 and 2nd team All-Pro in 1997 and 1998. In 11 career playoff games Lewis has totaled 109 tackles (75 solo), 5 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 2 interceptions for 54 yards, 12 pass deflections, and 1 touchdown.