Ray Lewis is an accomplished former professional football player in the United States of America.
He is a member of the group of athletes that played with the Baltimore Ravens for the entirety of their 17-year career as a linebacker.
He played college football during his career.
After retiring at the end of the 2012 season, He took part in the first round of the NFL Draft in 1996 and became the team’s final active player from its debut season.
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Ray Lewis Biography
He was born in 1975 in Bartow, Florida. Ray Lewis is the eldest of five children.
His father was gone for most of his childhood, and his mother was just 16 years old when he was born.
His parents are Sunseria and Elbert Rayshad Jackson.
Little was known about his father save that he had set numerous wrestling records in high school and later served time in prison for drug-related crimes.
Despite having four younger brothers and sisters, he became the family’s de facto head of household.
His four sisters and one brother are named Keon Lattimore, Lakeisha Jenkins, Laquesha Jenkins, and Kadaja Holloway.
Ray Lewis fixed his younger brother’s hair and ensured his sisters were on time for daycare.
After things cooled down with his dad, he ditched his surname and attended Kathleen High School in Lakeland under the alias of his mom’s paramour.
Lewis played football for the University of Miami’s storied Hurricanes program.
He immediately impacted the Hurricanes, starting the team’s final five games as a rookie.
Professional Career
In the 1996 NFL Draft run-up, Ray Lewis was widely considered the best inside linebacker prospect available.
Kevin Hardy was widely regarded as the only linebacker prospect of noteworthy caliber.
Ray Lewis was the fifth linebacker in the draft, and scouts praised him for his speed, tackling ability, and intensity.
They also lauded him for his ability to get into pass coverage.
However, the fact that he was undersized was seen by many as a possible disadvantage.
During the game against the Washington Redskins in Week 9, Ray was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time.
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In 1997, he received his first Pro Bowl berth after setting a record for the National Football League (NFL) and a career-high with 184 tackles, including 156 solo stops, which were the most ever in a single season.
As a result of his good performances in 1998, Ray was picked for the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career.
It was the third year in a straight that he finished first in tackles for the Ravens.
In addition to that, Sporting News selected him for their All-Pro Team.
In what would turn out to be his final game, the defense played by the Ravens held Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders to only 41 rushing yards on 19 attempts.
Many consider the defense that Ray led in 2000 to be the best in the history of the NFL for a single season.
Lewis led the club in tackles with 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars in week 2 of the regular season, which resulted in a 39-36 victory for the Baltimore Ravens.
In week 3, when the Miami Dolphins were the opponent, he recorded 11 tackles despite the team’s 19-6 loss.
In week 6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he finished the game with 13 tackles and a fumble recovery, leading to a win by a score of 15-10.
Ray Lewis Family
There are six Lewis children: four sons and two daughters for Ray.
Rayshad Lewis III, the oldest of his sons, played collegiate football at the University of Miami and Coastal Carolina.
Ray Lewis III, Rayshad Lewis, Diaymon Desiree Lewis, Rashaan Lewis, Ralin Lewis, and Kaitlin Lewis are his six kids.
Despite his wealth, Ray has never tied the knot.
He and Tatyana McCall were engaged for a while but ended the relationship for mysterious reasons.
In 2016, he has kicked off the Coastal Carolina football team and the school after a South Carolina grand jury indicted him on a charge of felony sexual assault in the third degree.
