“I always had a confident, nervous energy. It was never like the game was too big, or anxiety kicked in. It was never that for me, it was always in the moment, I was so in the moment.” That’s what Baltimore Ravens legendary LB Ray Lewis said after winning his second and final Super Bowl in 2013.
The 50-year-old has long hung up his cleats now. Since football, the former LB has taken on hosting, analyst, and writing gigs. Lewis has also graced a few shows with his guest appearances. Lately, the 13-time Pro Bowler opened up about his football journey, admitting how things started with a sliver of luck for him.
On Sunday, Ray Lewis posted a throwback video on his IG from his interview with Dan Patrick. In the clip, the former Ravens star shared that he didn’t have any offers from universities and felt overlooked. “Four days before signing day. I didn’t have any scholarship offers, and nobody had called. I didn’t know what was next.” Heading into the final game of his high school career, the situation was bleak. But then, a ray of hope.
Ray, an alum of Kathleen High School in Lakeland, Florida, shared that he played his last high school game against Fort Myers, which had the #1 recruit in the nation at the time in their lineup. “Dennis Erickson and Art Kehoe were sitting in the stands at that game, they were down there to recruit him and see him play. And in that game, I had 23 tackles, 100-plus yards rushing, kickoff returns, punt returns.” That is how he got noticed by the University of Miami. But it’s not where the story ends.
That last high school game where Lewis put on an incredible performance changed everything for him. The two-time Super Bowl champion shared that he was offered the last scholarship from the University of Miami just days before signing day. And that happened after another player injured himself. “The person who was there just blew out his knee riding a four-wheeler. They gave me that scholarship that Monday and told me I had to be in Miami by that Thursday,” Ray added.
One man’s tragedy changed Ray’s career and the Ravens’ history forever.
Ray Lewis on why every snap counts
At Miami, Lewis was immediately handed the starter role in his freshman year. The former LB finished his junior season at Miami with a total of 160 tackles. He won All-American and All-Big East honors during his college football career, which made him a top prospect during the draft. Unlike high school, where Ray was overlooked, during the 1996 draft, Lewis was picked by the Ravens 26th overall.
Image credits: Imago
The Ravens’ legend won his and the franchise’s first Super Bowl in 2000, where he led the team’s defense. Many still call the Ravens’ 2000 defense the greatest for a single season in league history. During the Super Bowl XXXV battle, Lewis dragged the Giants’ offense like rag dolls. Ray had five tackles in that 34-7 victory and won the Super Bowl MVP in addition to the Lombardi.
The one-franchise loyalist capped his 17-year Ravens career with the second Super Bowl title referenced above, the crowning moment of a storied run. “But it’s a family, man, for life. For life! We’re a family, man. And that’s what it’s really all about: When you see people win championships, they do it based on love,” Ray said after the win.
So, what started with uncertainty eventually turned into a legendary career. And that is the reason Ray advises young footballers to “never take a play off.” Because you never know who’s watching.
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