Ray Lewis biography
Ray Lewis, in full Ray Anthony Lewis, (born May 15, 1975, Bartow, Florida, U.S.), American skilled gridiron soccer participant who is taken into account to be one of many biggest linebackers in National Football League (NFL) historical past.
After starring in a number of sports activities in highschool, Lewis enrolled on the University of Miami, the place he turned a center linebacker and was named to the Freshman All-America group. In his junior yr—his final on the college—Lewis completed the season with a team-high 160 tackles and earned All-America honours. He was chosen by the Baltimore Ravens with the twenty sixth general choice of the 1996 NFL draft. In 1997 he led the league in tackles and performed in his first Pro Bowl.
During the low season in 2000, Lewis encountered authorized difficulties. On January 31 he and several other pals attended a post-Super Bowl social gathering at a nightclub in Atlanta, and, because the social gathering was breaking apart, a struggle erupted outdoors the membership. When it was over, two males had been stabbed to demise, and Lewis and two companions had been finally charged with the murders. During a four-week trial within the spring of 2000, the cost towards Lewis was dropped (he pleaded responsible to 1 rely of obstruction of justice in trade for testifying towards his codefendants), however his repute was nonetheless tarnished, and plenty of questioned if his play can be adversely affected. However, the next autumn he led a Baltimore protection that completed the common season because the highest-ranked within the league and gained a repute as probably the greatest gamers in NFL historical past. Lewis was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year for his efforts, and the Ravens completed the yr by starting an surprising postseason run that noticed them earn the franchise’s first Super Bowl berth in January 2001. Lewis led his group to a convincing 34–7 victory over the New York Giants, and he was named the sport’s Most Valuable Player.
In 2001 Lewis was chosen to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl and was named All-Pro for a 3rd straight yr, however a separated shoulder in 2002 restricted him to only 5 video games. He returned the subsequent season and received his second Defensive Player of the Year award after once more main the NFL in tackles. After struggling a severe hamstring damage in 2005, Lewis headed his second top-ranked protection in 2006, and in 2009 he was named All-Pro for a seventh time. His play fell off within the following years (though the favored Lewis was nonetheless elected to the Pro Bowl in 2010 and 2011), and in 2012 he tore a triceps muscle and performed in solely six regular-season video games. He returned for the postseason and helped Baltimore attain the second Super Bowl in group historical past. Lewis retired from skilled soccer after the Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers to win the championship, and the outspoken Lewis shortly turned a tv soccer commentator. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.