Ray Lewis Biography

Ray Lewis born Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr. is an American former professional football player who played as a middle linebacker with the Baltimore Ravens for his entire 17-year career in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, where he earned All-America honors.

The Ravens drafted Lewis in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft, and upon his retirement following the 2012 season, was the last remaining active player from the team’s inaugural season. 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.

Lewis pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in connection with the stabbing deaths of two men in 2000. The following season, he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year and led the Ravens’ record-setting defense, which established a 16-game single-season record for the fewest points allowed (165) and the fewest rushing yards allowed (970), to victory in Super Bowl XXXV. Lewis also 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.

Lewis won his second Defensive Player of the Year award in 2003, becoming the sixth player to win the award multiple times. After a triceps tear that sidelined him for most of the 2012 regular season, Lewis returned for the Ravens’ playoff run and earned his second Super Bowl victory in his final NFL game.

On February 3, 2018, the fifth anniversary of his final game, Lewis was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. During his tenure with the Ravens, he accumulated 2,059 career combined tackles, including 1,568 solo tackles, both of which are NFL records.

Due to his numerous accolades and prodigious football play, Lewis is widely considered to be the greatest middle linebacker in NFL history. He 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 (the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s). He is also considered to be the greatest Baltimore Raven of all time, as well as one of the greatest defensive players of all time.

10 Quick Facts About Ray Lewis

Here is a list are 10 facts

---

• Name: Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr.
• Age: 47 years old as of 2022
• Birthday: May 15th
• Zodiac Sign: Taurus
• Height: 6 feet 1 inch
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: Professional Football Player
• Marital Status: To be Updated
• Salary: To be Updated
• Net worth: $5 million

---

Ray Lewis Age

Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr. is 47 years old as of 2022. He was born on May 15th, 1975 in Bartow, Florida, United States. He also celebrates his birthday on May 15th every year. Moreover, his birth sign is Taurus.

Ray Lewis Height

Lewis measures an average standing height. He stands at a height of 6 feet 1 inch tall which is equivalent to 1.85 meters tall. He also has black hair and dark brown eyes. However, his weight as well as his other body measurements are currently under review and will be updated as soon as it has been made publicly available.

Ray Lewis Education

He entered Kathleen High School in Lakeland. Lewis enrolled in the University of Miami, where he was a member of the Miami Hurricanes football team. As a freshman, he was an immediate contributor and became a starter for the Hurricanes’ final five games. He compiled 81 tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss, and four pass deflections en route to being named to the freshman All-American team.

In his sophomore season, Lewis earned first-team All-American and All-Big East honors. Lewis led the Big East with 153 tackles and also 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.

Lewis’s junior campaign was even more successful, as he was again named to the All-American and All-Big East teams, and finished as runner-up for the Butkus Award, given to the top linebacker in college football. Lewis finished his junior season with 160 tackles, the second highest in University of Miami team history after Ed Weisacosky’s 164 in 1965.

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

After the 1995 season, Lewis decided to forgo his final year of college eligibility and enter the NFL draft. The Baltimore Ravens, who were entering their inaugural season, selected Lewis 26th overall in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft. Lewis was the Ravens’ second-ever draft pick behind offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden who was selected #4 overall the same year. Lewis eventually earned his undergraduate degree in Arts and Science in 2004 at the University of Maryland University College.

Ray Lewis Family, Parents

Raymond Anthony Jenkins was born in Bartow, Florida in Central Florida, the oldest of five siblings. His mother was just 16 at the time of his birth, while his father was absent for most of his life. Not much was known about his father’s life other than he was a record-setting high school wrestler before he was incarcerated for drug-related offenses.

As a boy, and the eventual older brother to four younger siblings, Lewis quickly became the man of the house. He helped his sisters with their hair and made sure his younger brother arrived at daycare on time.

When his father’s contact became less frequent, he abandoned his last name and changed it to the last name of his mother’s boyfriend, Ray Lewis, when he entered Kathleen High School in Lakeland. He is the older brother of the former University of Maryland running back Keon Lattimore. Lewis was an All-American linebacker for the football team at Kathleen, overcoming his small size with his intensity and instincts.

In addition, he was a prolific wrestler for the school. He 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. This also was the reason behind choosing the #52 jersey in his professional career.

Ray Lewis Dating, Wife and Children

Lewis is a Christian, and his commitment to his faith was featured in a Sports Illustrated cover story in 2006. He has a total of six children, four boys, and two girls. His son, Ray Lewis III, played college football at the University of Miami and later Coastal Carolina.

He was dismissed from Coastal Carolina’s football team and the university in 2016 upon being indicted by a South Carolina grand jury on a charge of third-degree criminal sexual assault.

Those charges were dropped after a lengthy and more thorough investigation by law enforcement officials in South Carolina. Ray Lewis III would later play indoor football for the Wyoming Mustangs in 2021.

His other son, Rayshad Lewis, committed to Utah State out of high school. His freshman year was successful. After his freshman year, Rayshad decided to transfer to the University of Maryland.

Ray Lewis Salary

Details about Lewis’s salary are not yet disclosed. However, information about how much he makes will be updated as soon as it is available.

Ray Lewis Net Worth

Ray has an estimated net worth of $5 million dollars as of 2022. This includes his assets, money and income. His primary source of income is his career as a professional football player. Through his various sources of income, Lewis has been able to accumulate good fortune but prefers to lead a modest lifestyle.

Ray Lewis Measurements and Facts

Here are some interesting facts and body measurements you should know about Lewis.

Ray Lewis Wiki

• Full Names: Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr.
• Popular As: Ray Lewis
• Gender: Male
• Occupation / Profession: Professional Football Player
• Nationality: American
• Race / Ethnicity: African-American
• Religion: Christian
• Sexual Orientation: Straight

Ray Lewis Birthday

• Age: 47 years old as of 2022
• Zodiac Sign: Taurus
• Date of Birth: May 15th, 1975
• Place of Birth: Bartow, Florida, United States
• Birthday: May 15th

Ray Lewis Body Measurements

• Height / How Tall?: 6 feet 1 inch
• Weight: To be Updated
• Eye Color: Dark Brown
• Hair Color: Black
• Shoe Size: To be Updated
• Dress Size: To be Updated
• Chest Size: To be Updated
• Waist Size: To be Updated
• Hip Size: To be Updated

Ray Lewis Family and Relationship

• Father (Dad): Not Available
• Mother: Not Available
• Siblings (Brothers and Sisters): 4
• Marital Status: Not Available
• Dating / Girlfriend: Not Available
• Children: 6

Ray Lewis Net Worth and Salary

• Net Worth: $5 million
• Salary: Under review
• Source of Income: Professional Football Player

Ray Lewis Career

Lewis was the top-rated inside linebacker heading into the 1996 NFL Draft, in Kevin Hardy was considered the draft’s only outstanding linebacker prospect. Taken as the fifth linebacker in the draft, Lewis was seen by scouts as possessing speed, tackling ability, and intensity, as well as being praised for his ability to go into pass coverage.

But many considered his lack of size a potential liability. In his first career game, a Week 1 19–14 victory over the Oakland Raiders, Lewis earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his seven-tackle performance, along with an unusual interception.

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. He finished his rookie season with two and a half sacks, six pass deflections, and an interception on the season as the Ravens finished with a 4–12 record.

Record-setting defense and Super Bowl XXXV MVP

In 2000, Lewis led a defense that many call the greatest in NFL history for a single season. In week 2 of the regular season against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Lewis led the team in tackles with 11 tackles in the 39–36 win.

In Week 3 against the Miami Dolphins, Lewis had 11 tackles in the 19–6 loss. In week 6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he finished 13 tackles and a fumble recovery in the 15–10 win.

In Week 13 against the Cleveland Browns, Lewis had five tackles and two sacks in the 44–7 blowout win. Lewis finished the regular season with a franchise-leading 137 tackles, as well as two interceptions, six pass deflections, and three fumble recoveries.

The team set a 16-game single-season record for the fewest points allowed (165) and the fewest rushing yards allowed (970). The team recorded four shutouts, one shy of the single-season record. The unit finished first league-wide in six key defensive categories.

Including the postseason, and excluding three combined touchdowns that were given up by the Ravens offense and special teams, Baltimore’s defense allowed only 184 points in 20 games.

After the regular season, he earned a unanimous All-Pro selection and was once again named to start in the Pro Bowl. In the Wild Card Round against the Denver Broncos, Lewis had seven tackles and an interception in the 21–3 win.

In the Divisional Round against the Tennessee Titans, Lewis had 12 combined tackles and an interception returned for a touchdown in the 24–10 win. In the AFC Championship against the Oakland Raiders, he had seven combined tackles and a fumble recovery in the 16–3 win.

Lewis was named NFL Defensive Player of The Year for the 2000 season. The Ravens became only the second team to ever record a defensive shutout in a Super Bowl, as they dominated the New York Giants 34–7 to win the franchise’s first-ever world championship.

Lewis’s five combined tackles and four passes defended earned him Super Bowl XXXV MVP honors. He also added 31 tackles, two interceptions, 9 pass deflections, one fumble recovery, and a touchdown in the four-game playoff run.

2012: Final year and second Super Bowl

Lewis suffered torn triceps on October 14, 2012, during a game against the Dallas Cowboys, and had them surgically repaired three days later. Several sources had reported he was expected to return to action on December 16 in the game against the Denver Broncos, much earlier than his expected return in January, but he was inactive for the game. On January 2, 2013, Lewis announced he would retire after his team finished the 2012–13 NFL playoffs.

He returned to action for Baltimore’s Wild Card Round game against the Colts and led the defense to a 24–9 win. On the game’s last play, Lewis lined up on offense at fullback. The Ravens were not slated to play another home playoff game (since they were the number-four seed, and the day before, the Houston Texans beat the number-six seed Cincinnati Bengals), so they wanted Lewis to be on the field for the final play.

Next, the Ravens defeated the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round, 38–35 in double overtime, and then defeated the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship, 28–13. Lewis’s final career NFL game was Super Bowl XLVII, where the Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 34–31.

Lewis finished the regular season with 57 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one deflection in six games. In the postseason, Lewis led the NFL with 51 tackles. He contributed two tackles for loss and one pass deflection in the Ravens’ Super Bowl XLVII run.

Other work

Lewis opened the Ray Lewis Full Moon Bar-B-Que, which operated in Baltimore’s Canton neighborhood from February 2005 until 2008. He has also gained several national corporate endorsements, some of which draw upon his tough image.

In 2004, Lewis was placed on the cover of the highly popular Madden NFL 2005 video game published by EA Sports and is also a very avid player of the same series. In 2006, it was announced that Lewis, Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers, and entrepreneur Mark Bloomquist would form S&L Racing, intending to race both cars and trucks from a North Carolina headquarters. Lewis’s attempt to join NASCAR racing failed.

On March 13, 2013, it was announced that Lewis would join ESPN as a contributor for their NFL coverage. Lewis was let go by ESPN in 2016. On June 20, 2017, it was announced Lewis had been hired by the cable sports network Fox Sports 1.

Lewis competed against tight end Tony Gonzalez in an episode of Spike (now Paramount Network)’s Lip Sync Battle, which aired on February 2, 2017. He emerged victorious with performances of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” and “Hot in Herre” by Nelly, who joined him for the performance.

In August 2019, Lewis was announced as one of the celebrities to compete in season 28 of Dancing with the Stars. He later withdrew from the competition due to a tendon injury in his foot, requiring surgery.

Charitable activities

Lewis has been heavily involved in charitable activities throughout his professional career. He started the Ray Lewis 52 Foundation which is a nonprofit corporation whose mission is to provide personal and economic assistance to disadvantaged youth.

The foundation has funded such events as adopting 10 families in the Baltimore City community for the holidays, an annual celebrity auction and bowling tournament, the Great Maryland Duck Derby, Thanksgiving food drives on North Avenue in Baltimore, and Ray’s Summer Days. All proceeds have helped fund the Ray Lewis Foundation.

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. Lewis was also honored with a JB award (named in honor of CBS broadcaster James Brown) during the 2006 off-season and received the “Act of Kindness” Award for his work in the community.

Ray Lewis Awards and Achievements

Since his rookie year in 1996, Lewis has won numerous NFL awards, including being named Defensive Player of the Year twice (2000 and 2003), as well as Super Bowl MVP after winning Super Bowl XXXV after the 2000 season. He is also 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 also a two-time All-American in college (1994 and 1995).

On May 11, 2010, a portion of Baltimore’s North Avenue was renamed “Ray Lewis Way” in honor of the linebacker and his charitable work.

Lewis had career totals of 2,059 total tackles (1,568 solos), 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. He has been selected to 13 NFL Pro Bowl games, a record for an inside/middle linebacker, in his 17 seasons, and led the NFL in tackles five times (1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, and 2004). In 2003, Lewis led all linebackers with six interceptions, a total matching the post-merger all-time record for a middle linebacker in a single season. 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. His 10 total All-Pro selections are a record for an inside/middle linebacker and ties the record for a linebacker (Lawrence Taylor also has 10 selections). In 21 career playoff games, Lewis has totaled 214 tackles (135 solo), 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.

Lewis was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018, his first year of eligibility. Lewis joined teammate Jonathan Ogden in Canton; the two were the Ravens’ first two draft picks after the team relocated to Baltimore.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ray Lewis

Ray Lewis Contacts

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Youtube
• Tiktok
• Website

Related Biographies 

You may also like to read the Bio, Career, Family, Relationship,  Body measurements, Net worth, Achievements, and more about:

• John-Miles Lewis
• Lewis Burton
• Lewis Johnson
• Lennox Lewis
• Rhett Lewis
• Damany Lewis
• Courtney Lewis
• Dan Lewis
• Emmanuel Lewis
• Alicia Lewis