103 Facts About Ray Lewis

1.

Ray Lewis played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, where he earned All-America honors.

2.

Ray Lewis immediately became a leader on defense and led the team in tackles as a rookie, the first of 14 times he led the Ravens in tackles.

3.

Ray Lewis pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in connection with the stabbing deaths of two men in 2000.

4.

Ray Lewis became the second linebacker to win the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, and the first to win the award on the winning Super Bowl team.

5.

Ray Lewis won his second Defensive Player of the Year award in 2003, becoming the sixth player to win the award multiple times.

6.

On February 3,2018, the fifth anniversary of his final game, Ray Lewis was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

7.

Ray Lewis was a 13-time Pro Bowler, a 10-time All-Pro, and one of the few players in NFL history to play in a Pro Bowl in three decades.

8.

Ray Lewis is considered to be the greatest Baltimore Raven of all time, as well as one of the greatest defensive players of all time.

9.

Ray Lewis's mother was just 16 at the time of his birth, while his father was absent for most of his life.

10.

Ray Lewis helped his sisters with their hair and made sure his younger brother arrived at daycare on time.

11.

Ray Lewis is the older brother of former University of Maryland running back Keon Lattimore.

12.

Ray Lewis was an All-American linebacker for the football team at Kathleen, overcoming his small size with his intensity and instincts.

13.

Ray Lewis later revealed that his stepfather was extremely abusive towards his mother, and got a deck of 52 playing cards to start his push-up regimen, so he could get stronger to protect her.

14.

Ray Lewis enrolled in the University of Miami, where he was a member of the Miami Hurricanes football team.

15.

Ray Lewis compiled 81 tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss, and four pass deflections en route to being named to the freshman All-American team.

16.

Ray Lewis led the Big East with 153 tackles and contributed nine tackles for a loss, two sacks, and an interception for a Hurricanes team that had the nation's top-ranked defense and finished No 6 in both the writers' and coaches' polls.

17.

Ray Lewis finished his junior season with 160 tackles, the second highest in University of Miami team history after Ed Weisacosky's 164 in 1965.

18.

Ray Lewis led the Big East in tackles his last two seasons and accumulated the fifth most in Miami history despite playing only three seasons.

19.

Ray Lewis eventually earned his undergraduate degree in Arts and Science in 2004 at the University of Maryland University College.

20.

Ray Lewis was the top-rated inside linebacker heading into the 1996 NFL Draft, in which Kevin Hardy was considered the draft's only outstanding linebacker prospect.

21.

Ray Lewis earned USA Today's All-Rookie team honors after his 15 tackles for loss led the NFL and 110 tackles led the Ravens in the 1996 season.

22.

In Week 9, against the Washington Redskins, Ray Lewis earned his second AFC Defensive Player of the Week honor.

23.

Ray Lewis recorded an NFL-best and career high 184 tackles in 1997, which included 156 solo tackles, the most ever in single season, and earned his first Pro Bowl berth at the end of that season.

24.

In 1998, Ray Lewis made his second trip to the Pro Bowl after recording 120 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble, and seven pass deflections.

25.

Ray Lewis was named to The Sporting News All-Pro Team.

26.

Ray Lewis was named to a third-straight Pro Bowl and the All-Pro first team.

27.

Ray Lewis won the 1999 NFL Alumni Linebacker Of The Year chosen by past NFL players voting according to the position they played.

28.

In 2000, Ray Lewis led a defense which many call the greatest in NFL history for a single season.

29.

Ray Lewis finished the regular season with a franchise leading 137 tackles, as well as two interceptions, six pass deflections, and three fumble recoveries.

30.

Ray Lewis was named NFL Defensive Player of The Year for the 2000 season.

31.

Ray Lewis added 31 tackles, two interceptions, 9 pass deflections, one fumble recovery, and a touchdown in the four-game playoff run.

32.

In 2001, Ray Lewis earned his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl selection, when he led the NFL in tackles with 162 and earned first-team All-Pro honors.

33.

In 2002, Ray Lewis was limited to only five games due to a shoulder injury.

34.

Ray Lewis still managed to rank fifth on the team with 58 tackles.

35.

Ray Lewis earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in Week 4 against the Denver Broncos after posting 18 tackles, two pass deflections, and an interception.

36.

Ray Lewis was the leading vote recipient for the 2003 AP All-Pro team, earning 49 of 50 votes.

37.

Ray Lewis won the annual AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year with 43 votes out of 50.

38.

Ray Lewis was named to his sixth career Pro Bowl for the 2003 season.

39.

Additionally, Ray 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 All-NFL team, Pro Football Weekly All-AFC team, Football Digest All-Pro first team, and The Sporting News All-Pro team.

40.

Ray Lewis earned the KC 101 AFC Defensive Player of the Year award for the 3rd time in four years, the 2003 NFL Alumni Linebacker Of The Year, and finished with 161 tackles, one and a half sacks, six interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 14 pass deflections, and one touchdown.

41.

In 2004, Ray Lewis was named first-team All-Pro by the AP, second-team "All Pro" by College and Pro Football Weekly and Football Digest, and "All Pro" by The Sporting News.

42.

Ray Lewis was placed on injured reserve in Week 8, having amassed 46 tackles, a sack, an interception, two pass deflections, and a fumble recovery in the season's first six games.

43.

In 2006, Ray 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.

44.

Ray Lewis missed two games due to an injury, but still recorded 103 tackles, a personal best of five sacks, two interceptions, and eight pass deflections in 14 games.

45.

Ray Lewis was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week following his seven-tackle, one-sack, and three-pass-deflection performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the season opener.

46.

Ray Lewis was selected to the Pro Bowl, but withdrew because of a hand injury, ceding his spot to fellow Ravens linebacker Bart Scott.

47.

Ray Lewis finished fifth in voting for Defensive Player of the Year.

48.

Ray Lewis totaled 15 tackles and a pass deflection in the Divisional Round loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

49.

Ray Lewis finished the season with 120 total tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, ten passes deflected, two interceptions, and one touchdown.

50.

In 2008, Ray Lewis helped lead the Ravens to the AFC Championship while totaling 117 tackles, three and a half sacks, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and nine passes deflected.

51.

Ray Lewis was named a starter to the Pro Bowl, his tenth such nomination, and was named an Associated Press first-team All-Pro for the sixth time.

52.

In 2009, Ray Lewis was named first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press for the seventh time and named to his 11th Pro Bowl.

53.

Ray Lewis accumulated an AFC-leading 134 tackles on the season.

54.

Ray Lewis added three sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and seven passes deflected.

55.

Ray Lewis added 21 tackles, one sack, and one pass deflection in two playoff games.

56.

In Week 2 against the San Diego Chargers, Ray Lewis made the game-saving tackle on running back Darren Sproles on a fourth-down play.

57.

Ray Lewis was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame 1st team All-2000s Team.

58.

In 2010, Ray Lewis was named second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press for the third time and named to his 12th Pro Bowl.

59.

Ray Lewis totaled 139 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, four pass deflections, and one touchdown.

60.

Ray Lewis added 13 tackles, one sack, and a forced fumble in two playoff games.

61.

On Sunday, November 21,2010, Ray Lewis became only the second player in NFL history to record at least 30 interceptions and 30 sacks for their career.

62.

Ray Lewis was the fastest player to achieve that feat.

63.

Ray Lewis was ranked fourth by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011.

64.

Ray Lewis earned the highest ranking for a defensive player on the initial ranking by the NFL players.

65.

In Week 3, Ray Lewis was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the St Louis Rams.

66.

Ray Lewis collected two sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles, and seven pass deflections.

67.

Ray Lewis totaled 20 tackles and one pass deflection in two playoff games.

68.

On Sunday, October 16,2011, against the Houston Texans, Ray Lewis became the first player in NFL history with at least 40 sacks and 30 interceptions in his career.

69.

Ray Lewis was ranked 20th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.

70.

Ray Lewis suffered torn triceps on October 14,2012, during a game against the Dallas Cowboys, and had them surgically repaired three days later.

71.

The Ravens were not slated to play another home playoff game, so they wanted Ray Lewis to be on the field for the final play.

72.

Ray Lewis finished the regular season with 57 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one deflection in six games.

73.

Ray Lewis contributed two tackles for loss and one pass deflection in the Ravens' Super Bowl XLVII run.

74.

The white suit Ray Lewis was wearing the night of the killings has never been found.

75.

Ray Lewis subsequently testified that Oakley and Sweeting had bought knives earlier in the week before the Super Bowl from a Sports Authority where Ray Lewis had been signing autographs.

76.

Ray Lewis admitted he gave a misleading statement to police on the morning after the killings.

77.

Ray Lewis was fined $250,000 by the NFL, which was believed to be the highest fine levied against an NFL player for an infraction not involving substance abuse.

78.

Ray Lewis has led his team in tackles in 12 of his 14 seasons.

79.

Since the murder allegations, Ray Lewis's image has recovered, and today he is considered one of the most dominant linebackers in the history of the NFL.

80.

Ray Lewis was selected as the third-best linebacker of all time on the show The Sports List.

81.

Ray Lewis has been referenced in television shows such as The Wire, films such as The Rundown, and in music videos, such as in Mario's "Just a Friend 2002" and Nelly's "Heart of a Champion".

82.

Ray Lewis has appeared in television ads for NFL Network, Reebok, Under Armour, Old Spice, and Eastern Motors.

83.

Ray Lewis was the featured athlete on the cover of Madden NFL 2005.

84.

Ray Lewis was documented in NFL Network's documentary series A Football Life.

85.

Ray Lewis has gained several national corporate endorsements, some of which draw upon his tough image.

86.

In 2004, Ray Lewis was placed on the cover of the highly popular Madden NFL 2005 video game published by EA Sports, and is a very avid player of the same series.

87.

On March 13,2013, it was announced that Ray Lewis would join ESPN as a contributor for their NFL coverage.

88.

On June 20,2017, it was announced Ray Lewis had been hired by cable sports network Fox Sports 1.

89.

Ray Lewis emerged victorious with performances of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" and "Hot in Herre" by Nelly, who joined him for the performance.

90.

Ray Lewis later withdrew from the competition due to a tendon injury in his foot, requiring surgery.

91.

Ray Lewis has been heavily involved in charitable activities throughout his professional career.

92.

Ray Lewis started the Ray Lewis 52 Foundation which is a nonprofit corporation whose mission is to provide personal and economic assistance to disadvantaged youth.

93.

Ray Lewis has since been involved in pressing political, business, and philanthropic leaders for a stronger commitment to disability sports both here and in the developing world.

94.

Ray Lewis was honored with a JB award during the 2006 off-season and received the "Act of Kindness" Award for his work in the community.

95.

Ray Lewis is a 13-time Pro Bowler and seven-time AP First Team All-Pro player, a three-time AP Second Team All-Pro Selection, and was a two-time All-American in college.

96.

Ray Lewis had career totals of 2,059 total tackles, 19 forced fumbles, 117 passes defended, 102.5 stuffs for a loss, 41.5 sacks, 20 fumble recoveries, 31 interceptions for 503 yards, one safety, and three touchdowns in 228 games.

97.

In 2003, Ray Lewis led all linebackers with six interceptions, a total matching the post-merger all-time record for a middle linebacker in a single season.

98.

Ray Lewis was named first-team Associated Press All-Pro in 1999,2000,2001,2003,2004,2008,2009 and second-team All-Pro in 1997,1998, and 2010.

99.

In 21 career playoff games, Ray Lewis has totaled 214 tackles, two sacks, six forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, two interceptions for 54 yards, 15 pass deflections, 10.5 stuffs for a loss, and one touchdown.

100.

Ray Lewis was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018, his first year of eligibility.

101.

Ray Lewis joined teammate Jonathan Ogden in Canton; the two were the Ravens' first two draft picks after the team relocated to Baltimore.

102.

Ray Lewis is a Christian, and his commitment to his faith was featured in a Sports Illustrated cover story in 2006.

103.

Ray Lewis has a total of six children, four boys, and two girls.