It’s these relationships with teammates and foes alike that make Lewis unique.
Over the years, Lewis has mentored so many Ravens players that it’s hard to single out the folks he’s contributed to the most to while in Baltimore. His first assignment was trying to keep troubled running back Bam Morris in line in 1996 and 1997, and Morris wound up in jail anyway once his career was over. And sometimes Ray was the mentee. In 1998, Rod Woodson served as a mentor to Lewis. He had the same role with Shannon Sharpe two years later.
“Like everyone else when he was young just like me when I was young, he was asking a lot of questions,” Woodson said. “Who are my real friends? Who should I be around? What should I do? He always wanted to be great. He always tried to improve in every part of his life. He’s a very spiritual man and a family man. He’s a true friend. If you needed a friend in the worst situation, if I ever needed one call to a friend to get me outta trouble, Ray Lewis would be that guy for me.”
During the Atlanta murder trial in the summer of 2000, Lewis was mentored by new teammate Sharpe, already well on his way to the Hall of Fame after two Super Bowl wins in Denver. Sharpe housed Lewis in his Georgia home during the summer and worked out with him every day. Shannon barely knew Lewis, but opened his world to him based on how many players in the league vouched for him and as a favor to Art Modell, who once called Sharpe “a savior” for Lewis at that point in his life.
“When he got in that situation everybody wanted to distance themselves,” Sharpe said. “They didn’t want to be associated with Ray Lewis in one respect. I thought this would be a great time to take a guy in. I told Ray, ‘You can’t afford a hit like that to your character.’ Granted, he was found not guilty. I told him, ‘Ray, I make people prove to me that I can trust them.’ I can’t afford a hit on my character, or for my family.”
Lewis, as a fifth-year player, then won Super Bowl XXXV with Sharpe and Woodson by his side in Tampa in 2001.
In 2002, Ed Reed entered Baltimore, a fellow member of his University of Miami extended Hurricanes family and Lewis, already a champion and a sure Hall of Famer even then, worked hard to build a relationship with his soon-to-be fellow Hall of Famer. They watched film endlessly in Lewis’ home in the early years. Lewis got his first Super Bowl in his hometown of Tampa in 2001. Reed got his in his hometown of New Orleans in 2013.
Hollywood wouldn’t buy this, right?
In 2004, Lewis lured Deion Sanders out of retirement to Baltimore and talked Ozzie Newsome and Brian Billick into making it happen for the Ravens for two seasons. Lewis sought to surround himself with greatness again and again. In 2006, when Steve McNair became available, Lewis got on the phone and helped to recruit a new quarterback for the franchise.
Ray Lewis has been a student. Ray Lewis has been a teacher. He’s always been a leader and rarely a follower.
He follows The Lord and most everyone else follows him.
“He’s the most naturally gifted leader I’ve ever been around and like all leaders, he cares and he’s passionate,” said Brian Billick. “Ray was born to lead people.”
On October 15, 2012, after he suffered what appeared to be a season-ending triceps tear for a mere mortal, Lewis told his teammates and coaches repeatedly that he’d return in time to lead them to a championship in his 17th season.
Judy Battista of The New York Times reported on October 18th:
“An incision is made in the back of the arm. Holes are usually drilled in the bone at the end of the elbow and, after the end of the torn tendon is identified, sutures are sewed through it. Then doctors sew the torn tendon back down to the bone. There are no fancy screws, and very rarely is a cadaver tendon needed when surgery is performed soon after the injury.
The bad news?
“Of the ones that were repaired, they generally missed a whole season to come back, but most were able to come back and play,” said Gautam Yagnik, the chief of orthopedic surgery at West Kendall Baptist Hospital in Miami-Dade County, Fla., and a specialist in sports medicine.
Ten weeks later, Ray Lewis was back on the field.
He returned against the Indianapolis Colts in an NFL playoff game, his first of four games on a grand “Last Ride” that ended with a Super Bowl win. He truly led by example. He announced his retirement at the same time he announced his comeback.
