Lewis, Ray (1975-…), ranks among the greatest linebackers in National Football League (NFL) history. Linebackers form one of the units of a football team’s defense (see Football (The linebackers)). Lewis played his entire professional career with the Baltimore Ravens. He became known as a fierce competitor, a team leader, and one of the league’s hardest tacklers. Lewis was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2000 and 2003. He was the Most Valuable Player in the 2001 Super Bowl, the NFL’s championship game. Lewis retired as a player in 2013. He played his last game in the 2013 Super Bowl, in which Baltimore defeated the San Francisco 49ers. Lewis’s autobiography, I Feel Like Going On: Life, Game, and Glory, was published in 2015.
Ray Anthony Lewis was born on May 15, 1975, in Bartow, Florida. He starred at the University of Miami from 1993 through 1995. Lewis left school before his senior year to enter the 1996 NFL draft. The draft is the process in which NFL teams choose players, usually amateurs from college programs. Baltimore picked him as the 26th selection in the first round. Lewis was named to the Pro Bowl 13 times. Lewis was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
See also Football; Super Bowl.
