Ray Lewis
Ray Lewis at NFL.com Ray Anthony Lewis (born May 15, 1975 in Bartow, Florida) is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL.
In January 2001, Lewis led Baltimore to a Super Bowl XXXV victory and was named Super Bowl MVP. He was the first linebacker to win the award since 1971.
College career
Lewis was a three-year starter at the University of Miami, one of the nation's premier collegiate programs, and declared eligibility for the draft after his junior season. He earned consensus 1st team "All-American" and "All-Big East" honors his junior year. He finished his junior season with 160 tackles (2nd highest in University of Miami team history, behind only Ed Weisacosky's 164 in 1965).
Lewis left the university before graduating to pursue an NFL career. In the 1996 NFL Draft, he was selected in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens with the 26th overall pick. He finished his degree in 2005 at the University of Maryland.
Professional career
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). Lewis has career statistics (as credited by yahoosports.com) of 1399 total tackles, 8 Forced Fumbles, 79 passes defended, 28 sacks, 12 fumble recoveries, and 23 interceptions in 148 total games. Credited with 1838 career total tackles according to BaltimoreRavens.com. Lewis has been selected to eight NFL Pro Bowl games in his eleven seasons, every elligible year but his rookie season(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 All-Pro 1st team in the years 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2004. Also named NFL All-Pro 2nd team in the years 1997 and 1998.
Season-by-season
- Was the fourth 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 with 142.
- 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.
- Led the NFL in tackles recording 210 in 1997. 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 with 198.
- 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 Super Bowl 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. Led team with 187 tackles.
- 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 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. Ray was rewarded for all of his hard work when he won the annual AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year with a landslide 43 out of 50 votes. He 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. Set team record with 225 total tackles which led the NFL.
- 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. Led team with 200 total tackles.
- 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 77 tackles, a sack, an interception, and a fumble recovery.
- 2006, Lewis has led the Baltimore Ravens to be #1 in Total Yards allowed, #1 in PPG Allowed, #2 in Sacks, #2 in Takeaways, #1 in interceptions and #2 in rushing yards allowed through the league. Ray Lewis missed two games but still recorded an impressive 164 tackles (as recorded by Baltimoreravens.com), a personal best 5 sacks, 2 interceptions and 8 passes defended in 14 Games. The Ravens gave up just one 100 yard rusher in the 14 games Lewis played. He was also selected to the Pro Bowl but bowed out due to a hand injury and the spot went to fellow Ravens player and linebacker Bart Scott.
Madden NFL cover
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. 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 highly popular Madden NFL 2005 video game distributed by EA Sports. He is the only defensive player ever to be featured on the cover of the Madden game. His cousin Shelton Gaines convinced him to be on the cover of the game.
Murder Charges
Despite his accomplishments on the field, Lewis' public image was nearly tarnished following a Super Bowl party on January 31, 2000. Following this party, he was brought into the Atlanta Police Department for questioning, then arrested (along with his friends Reginald Oakley and Joseph Sweeting) and charged with the murders of Jacinth Baker and Richard Lollar. Baker and Lollar were stabbed and killed outside a nightclub during a fight in the Buckhead district of Atlanta. The charges resulted in Lewis being held in custody, preventing him from playing in the Pro-Bowl in Hawaii he had been scheduled to play in the following Sunday.
After news of the arrest was known, family, friends, and the public doubted Lewis's involvement in such a crime. While police examined the limo he had chartered and conducted a search of his Owings Mills, Maryland home, numerous character witnesses petitioned the courts for him to be granted bail. A few weeks later, he was offered bail by a judge under the following conditions:
- He turn in his passport
- He follow a 9 PM curfew
- He would not consume an alcoholic beverage
- He would remain in the state of Maryland, except while traveling to Georgia for legal purposes
With the NFL being in the off-season, they did not move to make any sanctions against Lewis, announcing that at the present time, it was not necessary.
The trial of Lewis and his co-defendants started during the following spring. Evidence proving he had committed murder was nearly non-existent, and to have murder charges dismissed, Lewis's attorney arranged with prosecutors that he plead guilty in a bargain to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice[1], and agreed to testify against Oakley and Sweeting, who were each charged with murder. Lewis accepted this plea bargain, and he was sentenced to one year of unsupervised, unrestricted probation. He was also offered expungment of this record if he successfully completed his probation, and was not punished by the NFL.
Oakley and Sweeting went on to hire the very high priced legal representation of noted Atlanta criminal defense attorneys, L. David Wolfe, Bruce Harvey, and Steve Sadow. Though all were acquitted in June 2000, the Atlanta Police Department and District Attorney's office believe Lewis' associates to be guilty. No other suspects have ever been arrested for the crime.
On 29 April 2004, Lewis reached a settlement with four-year-old India Lollar, who was born shortly after the death of her father Richard. The settlement (reported by The Baltimore Sun to be at least US$1 million) pre-empted the civil trial scheduled for 14 June from going forth. The suit filed by the Baker family was also settled. The terms were undisclosed.
References
- "Ravenous: Ray Lewis AP top defensive player". ESPN. January 1, 2004.
- "Lewis murder charges dropped". CNN. June 05, 2000.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "Most Dominant player, as voted by coaches". CBS sportsline. June 13, 2003.
- "Career Achievements". BaltimoreRavens.com. current.
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