Ravens' Ray Lewis to Retire at Postseason's End
The linebacker is in his 17th season with the Ravens.
Photos
Baltimore Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis will retire at the end of the team's run in the current postseason.
Lewis made the announcement while speaking to the media early Wednesday afternoon. The Ravens' Twitter feed said he told the team, "This will be my last ride."
Lewis, the MVP of the Ravens' last Super Bowl in 2001, will have spent his entire 17-season career with Baltimore. Lewis, a first-round pick for the Ravens in 1996 (their first season in Baltimore) has been selected for 13 Pro Bowls and has three times been named the AFC defensive player of the year, in 2000, 2001 and 2003.
Video will be added to this story as soon as it is available. Check out our photo gallery of Ray Lewis in action and out in Patch communites.
You tell us: What is your favorite Ray Lewis moment? What will you miss most about him?
Tom Hope
12:39 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
He will always be a Raven......
Patricia M
12:47 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
I will miss everything about Ray,he is a true leader to the team. I wish him all the best and thank him for truly making football a pleasure to watch. I just hope he remains with the Ravens in some capacity,he would be a great defensive coordinator
Al Day
12:54 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
I second that.
Jack Hoppenstein
1:02 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
He's lucky to get out now. They are making this game a "sissy" sport. I've seen harder hits in Basketball then they allow in football.
Bob Deugwillo
1:03 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Can't wait to see Ray holding up the Lombardi trophy at the conclusion of his final game with the Baltimore Ravens. He has been the very best at upholding the ideals of the Baltimore Ravens organization. I do hope he stays with the organization, possibly as our next defensive co-ordinator. He would be the best at that also.
Hollee Sifford
1:03 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
AWWWWW The tunnel will never b the same:( I am sure he will always be a RAVEN in some fashion:)
Jack Noppinger
1:50 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Retirement is a smart move for him to make. Things will not be the same, as the entire defense looked up to him and his leadership on the field. Some others need to know when it is time to go!
Margaret
2:01 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
I will miss Ray Lewis. I wish him well
RARE MARYLAND INDEPENDENT
3:06 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Ray is one of the three greatest Baltimore Sports Icons ever. Ray, Brooks and Johnny U. Clearly the top three. All were great leaders, made their cities and folks around them better.
Greatest play ever - to watch Ray take the ball from Eddie George and run it in for a touchdown in the playoffs. To KNOW the Ravens were going to win the AFC Title and Super Bowl in those next two games was amazing.
I am sure Ray's retiring will make our False Hero up North Cal very nervous. Cal has been out of the spotlight for a while. Expect him to rescue some kids who fell in the ice in the next few weeks to make himself relevant.
Thanks for the memories Ray - let's go 4 - 0 and go out with a bang. Get some energy in Joe and we have a chance!
Sean Tully
11:22 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
To be fair, I'd say the greatest Baltimore Sports icons are Johnny U. and Cal Ripkin. Brooks, Frank, Ray, and even Earl Monroe, are right up there, but any list that doesn't put Cal at or near the top is incomplete.
Otto Schmidlap
12:15 am on Friday, January 4, 2013
What about that G. H. Ruth fellow?
Terry
3:38 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Ray got away with murder......May be I'll watch my first Ravens game next season
FIFA_archived
4:06 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
There is always one.
Kareem N Mikoffee
5:01 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
I agree with you 100%. The guy is one of the greatest linebackers ever but he is a complete thug. I'm happy he's leaving. He should be in jail. That whole pregame jungle dance makes me vomit. In 5 years, the HOF will have its second double knife murderer enshrined. The idiot that compared Ray Ray to Brooks and Johnny U must be smoking crack.
M. Sullivan
5:07 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
But, he's a football HERO! That's all that matters!
K L B
9:13 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Terry, you don't know what your talking about !!!
Sean Tully
11:28 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Actually Ray didn't get away with murder. He was not charged with murder. In fact, the two men charged with murder were acquitted of all charges. So your statement is not factual. Now, was Ray involved in some nasty business that night in Atlanta? Sure he was. But the justice system dealt with Ray and, the way it works, once he paid his dues, he is a free American once again. Ray paid all his dues.
PosterD
9:30 am on Thursday, January 3, 2013
@sean tully Vick paid his dues too yet no one cares about him. I don't condone what he did, however, it seems people care more about those who murder dogs, than those associated with murdering humans. I don't get it.
Tim
9:41 am on Thursday, January 3, 2013
Terry, although I am not a Ray Lewis fan AT ALL - he did not 'get away with murder'. He probably gotaway with being 'an accessory' to a murder....two of his 'boys' may have actually committed the murders....but at the end of the day no one was tried, no one was convincted unfortunately. He since cleaned up his act and it seemed to have been a turning point in his life. Good for him, although I'll never be a fan of him.
The difference between Lewis and Vick is obvious - Vick ACTUALLY did and was convicted of his crimes. I hate Vick far, far more. I'm revulsed at the fact the guy still collects a paycheck in the NFL, and it only (as a Giants fan) made me hate the Eagles even more when he signed there.
Sean Tully
4:00 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Another great Baltimore sports legend.
Pat Foster
5:47 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
He should be given a job in some capacity with the Ravens. He is the heart of the team!
Sean Tully
11:34 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
I agree. He needs to be on the coaching staff perhaps.
Alex W
7:17 am on Thursday, January 3, 2013
He's retiring to see his son play at Miami. He won't be coaching anytime soon. I really don't think he will be coaching at all. Television is going to be his route.
Tim
9:37 am on Thursday, January 3, 2013
Four channels will be begging to sign him when he's ready to 'work' again.
RW Willy
6:12 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Bitter much?
All that matters is the fact he is one of the best to ever play the game.
But it is football, not medicine or world politics. Take it for what its worth.
If you don't like him fine. As for the character element, he was found guilty of obstruction. So he and Martha Stewert have alot in common.
Tim
9:42 am on Thursday, January 3, 2013
I can't stand Martha Stewart either. So yeah, there's commonality there.
sef
6:34 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Love him no matter what the haters say! I will miss him and hope he always remains true to the purple and black!!
Evets
6:45 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
I am a die-hard," bleed Black and Gold" Steelers fan and I always will be. That said, I am tired of seeing these "He got away with murder" posts every time there is an article online about Ray Lewis. There is not and never has been any evidence that he had any participation in a murder. Does he perhaps have information that he has never. shared with law enforcement? Who knows. He pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and that ended the legal process. In the 12 years since, there has not been even a hint of him getting in any trouble. I think his brush with the law in 2000 woke him up to the fact that he needed to change his ways, and he certainly did, and now other players seek his counsel when they are troubled. He made a mistake and learned from it.
As for greatest player ever, no. Greatest linebacker ever? Hard to compare players who played in different eras. In my Black and Gold tinted world, Jack Lambert was the best. As a football watcher for close to 50 years, I'l agree that Lambert and Lewis are certainly 2 of the top 5 MLBs ever.
Hope he enjoys his new life. He deserves it.
Johanna
8:42 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
So sad to see him go, he will always be a part of the Ravens I believe in some way or another. It's saddens me that there are people who would critique his character. Ray is a devoted father, wonderful mentor and above all a greatly respected Christian man. I guess some people feel it is their right to judge ones character as if they never made mistakes or have done no wrong. God is the judge of all, and is forgiving of all things. Love you Ray! Job well done! :)
amark
8:52 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
What a man of great integrity. He did get away with at least participating in a double murder but hey he's a great football player so who cares right? Also he has fathered 6 children by 4 different women, none of whom he has ever married. What a great role model.
Sean Tully
11:33 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
I didn't know Ray was a saint. How many respectable men don't support their children they had when married to one woman? I bet Ray supported those kids as good or better than most.
K L B
9:08 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Sad to see Ray go, I hope the Ravens realize what a motivater he is and keeps him on in some capacity. He is a good man and has done alot for this team. So he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Has any one out here not done something they regret. Don't take away from Ray Lewis what a great football player and team mate he has been, he will be truly missed.
Sean Tully
11:30 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
The one thing I won't miss about Ray is that silly dance. But Ray was young, rich, and very pumped up, so I give him some latitude. When I was young, not rich, and pumped up, I did some silly dancing myself.
K L B
11:38 pm on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
I love that dance !!!
Sean Tully
12:51 am on Thursday, January 3, 2013
K L B, see, that's why God didn't put me in charge of what you like. Ray is a motivator and the dance contributes to that. I am not completely blind to reason.
moe green
5:56 am on Thursday, January 3, 2013
he can continue to have children with women not his wife.
some role model
Eastsider
7:05 am on Thursday, January 3, 2013
Moe,
What’s your point? If he continues to do so and can afford it so what…. Unlike thousands of other children out there that doesn’t have a clue who their daddy that you and I pay for daily.
Tim
9:44 am on Thursday, January 3, 2013
here's something we'll agree on!
amark
12:17 pm on Thursday, January 3, 2013
I think now maybe Ray can take a "stab" at a career in broadcasting. And Sean he was charged initially with murder then turned state's evidence to testify against his friends and they dropped the murder charge for him to do that. If it were your family or friends who we're killed I doubt you'd be so forgiving.
FIFA_archived
12:38 pm on Thursday, January 3, 2013
And you left out the fact his two friends were found innocent. Small detail.
Evets
7:05 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
Actually found not guilty, or more accurately, "not proven guilty." Small detail, big difference.
Still stand by my post above.
FIFA_archived
7:18 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
I disagree with you Evets, "innocent until proven guilty" is the standard. Not proven guilty, means innocent in my book.
Evets
7:56 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
You are free to disagree. However, follow this scenario: FIFA kills a man. There is not much evidence, but enough for a grand jury to bring an indictment. FIFA goes to trial. The state presents its case (rather weakly), and FIFA's dedicated defense attorney puts lots of holes in the evidence. The jury deliberates, comes back, and declares FIFA "Not Guilty." Is FIFA innocent? Certainly not in the accepted meaning of that word. He has simply not been proven guilty beyond the common law standard of reasonable doubt. That is the standard, after all. And in our system, even people who we presume are obviously guilty are treated, legally, as though they are innocent until the state proves otherwise.
By the way, the commonly uttered "innocent until proven guilty" is nowhere codified in the Constitution nor the Declaration of Independence. The term comes to us from English jurisprudence (also known as common law) and is implied in the provisions of the 5th and 6th Amendments.
Interesting that in posts for another article here on Patch ("Postponed Hearing Could Delay Accused Perry Hall Student Shooter's Trial") there is very little of this "presumption of innocence" for Mr. Gladden. Most people seem to have little doubt that this boy should be immediately locked away for life, or at least for a long time. There is no doubt that the boy is guilty, but the burden is still on the state to prove this. If they fail to do so, is Mr Gladden innocent? Hardly.
kl
2:59 pm on Thursday, January 3, 2013
As a "victim" of crime, when I was there face to face with the criminal, worked with him, knew his name and address, oh yeah, got part of his crimes on video tape, .... I can tell you, if they charge a person, they've got a lot of evidence and very strong reason to believe they are guilty. However because the person "gets off" sure doesn't mean they were not guilty !!!!