How much can Ray Lewis possibly have left? (1 Viewer)

[Raider Nation]

This is a crazy run for a LB. Does he have anything left in the tank, or is he living completely on reputation?

Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis turns 37 today, which could be the magic number for him. In April 2011, Lewis hinted at a target date for his retirement when he told the NFL Network, "I can’t see myself playing football past 37.”Lewis made it clear after Baltimore's AFC Championship Game loss that he was returning in 2012, but there has to be questions about whether he will play beyond this year. At some point, Lewis is going to have to say goodbye to football, although there haven't been any recent indicators he will be calling it quits anytime soon. His contract runs through 2015, and the Ravens showed confidence in Lewis when they once again didn't draft his eventual replacement in April.Lewis started off strong last season and was among the NFL's top inside linebackers in the first half of the 2011. Then, after missing four games with a toe injury, he seemed to wear down toward the end of the year. During the playoffs, Lewis didn't sound close to retiring when asked about his future."Football is too fun for me, man," Lewis said in January. "Whenever God says time is enough, then it's enough. But when you're having the fun that I'm having, and you're playing at the level I'm playing at, do it until you can't do it no more."Lewis has been one of the league's top Iron Men. His 222 games played is second-most among active players, ranking only behind a kicker (Jason Hanson). He is the longest-tenured Raven on the roster by six seasons (safety Ed Reed is second).No other great middle linebacker has played as along as Lewis. Mike Singletary retired after 12 seasons with the Chicago Bears before his play declined. The Pittsburgh Steelers' Jack Lambert walked away after 11 years because of a severe toe injury. And the Bears' **** Butkus stopped after nine seasons because of knee injuries.Lewis is now entering his 17th season in the NFL. And, after turning 37 today, you have to wonder whether this will be his last.

 

[Sabertooth]

He's amazing no doubt.

 

[BigSteelThrill]

In my main league I drafted both Ray Lewis and Zach Thomas as rookies in the same year.

The studs other then Lewis from that draft Thomas, Donnie Edwards and Teddy Bruschi, were pretty much finished by 2008.

From his wiki page...

[*]Record 13 Pro Bowls for an Inside/Middle Linebacker

[*]Record 10 All-Pro selections for Inside/Middle Linebacker

[*]Record 10 All-Pro selections for a Linebacker (tied with Lawrence Taylor)

[*]Most Games Started at Inside/Middle Linebacker (221)

[*]Most Interception Return Yards for an Inside/Middle Linebacker (503)

[*]Most seasons played at Inside/Middle Linebacker (16)

[*]NFL 2000s All-Decade Team

[*]20 sack/20 interception Club- Quickest to reach (113 games)

[*]30 sack/30 Interception Club- Quickest to reach (204 games)

[*]40 sack/30 Interception Club- Only Member

 

[houndirish]

Never been a fan of the guy but I have tremendous respect for him as a player.

He's been an enjoyable dynasty commodity too as he keeps proving the naysayers wrong on when he'll experience a precipitous decline in numbers.

That being said, if I never hear the contrived christianity or see the stupid pregame dance again I won't shed a tear.

 

[Pipes]

I think some guys you have to disregard age to a certain extent and he's one of those guys. He's nowhere near the player he was in his 20's but he can still be a solid player for the next season or two. Sure father time will catch up with him but the way he treats his body I think he can delay the inevitable for another season or so. Guy doesn't touch any sort of junk food whatsoever. Doesn't eat pork or many other questionable foods. He definitely treats his body right.

Plus with his leadership ability that will help him stick as well. That guy is such a great motivator. I don't like the Ravens and whenever I hear a Ray Lewis interview I'm ready to lay someone out. I hope he sticks around for a few more seasons because the NFL is better with him...regardless of how many feel about him.

 

[RavenLunatic]

How long are tackling cyborgs designed to last anyway? I'd say at least another 25 years.

 

[houndirish]

I think some guys you have to disregard age to a certain extent and he's one of those guys. He's nowhere near the player he was in his 20's but he can still be a solid player for the next season or two. Sure father time will catch up with him but the way he treats his body I think he can delay the inevitable for another season or so. Guy doesn't touch any sort of junk food whatsoever. Doesn't eat pork or many other questionable foods. He definitely treats his body right.

Plus with his leadership ability that will help him stick as well. That guy is such a great motivator. I don't like the Ravens and whenever I hear a Ray Lewis interview I'm ready to lay someone out. I hope he sticks around for a few more seasons because the NFL is better with him...regardless of how many feel about him.

Whoa there ... no need to be trashing our friend the pig. It's OK to like Ray Lewis and bacon.

 

[Shutout]

I trade for him three years ago, hoping to get a push in a playoff run, thinking I would cut him loose after the season. He hasn't been out of my linup since except for a couple of missed games here and there.

The guy is a rare type, like some of the other greats that you can't measure them by their age.

He's great for the game and I hope he plays at a high level for another season or two. I just hope he's not one of these guys that stays a year too long.

The OP asked if he's living on his reputation. His reputation didn't rack up 100+ tackles last year . The guy is just a marvel.

Love the line about expected service life of a cyborg.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

I worry about Ray Lewis after football. What is he going to do after the game says he's gotta go? I don't see him as a head coach or even really an assistant coach, not in the NFL anyways.

 

[RavenLunatic]

I worry about Ray Lewis after football. What is he going to do after the game says he's gotta go? I don't see him as a head coach or even really an assistant coach, not in the NFL anyways.

He will be fine. From what I can tell he is heavily invested in children, his church and community. He is also sure to be a regular on the networks and on the speaking circuit as a highly paid motivation speaker.I'm a transplant to Tampa and would not be surprised if he becomes the "Leroy Selmon" of Baltimore. Hopefully we don't lose him too soon like we lost Leroy last year.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

I think some guys you have to disregard age to a certain extent and he's one of those guys. He's nowhere near the player he was in his 20's but he can still be a solid player for the next season or two. Sure father time will catch up with him but the way he treats his body I think he can delay the inevitable for another season or so. Guy doesn't touch any sort of junk food whatsoever. Doesn't eat pork or many other questionable foods. He definitely treats his body right.

Plus with his leadership ability that will help him stick as well. That guy is such a great motivator. I don't like the Ravens and whenever I hear a Ray Lewis interview I'm ready to lay someone out. I hope he sticks around for a few more seasons because the NFL is better with him...regardless of how many feel about him.

His toe/shoulder of the past few years say otherwise.

 

[Chase Stuart]

In the same vein, London Fletcher turns 37 in three days. Both guys were born in the middle of May, 1975. Interestingly enough, two other ILB born that year -- James Farrior and Keith Brooking -- are also still active in the NFL. Those 4 guys all rank in the top 5 in games played by an inside linebacker.

 

[rizzler]

Couldnt sleep last night and NFL Network Canada was rerunning hard knocks from the 2001 Ravens season...

Dear lord. Ray Lewis in his prime was just sickening. Seeing Hard Knocks, you can see the decline to now, even though he still "has it" to a certain extent.

Oddest part was watching Shannon Sharpe play backup to a rookie Todd Heap, who his coach referred to as "Gomer Pile". I had no idea Heap was so stupid haha

Im no Ray Lewis fan, I can't be... but damn that SOB could play.

 

[Warrior]

I think Fletcher deserves more love...Ray Lewis is incredible, but Fletcher is playing at a higher level than him lately.

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

In the same vein, London Fletcher turns 37 in three days. Both guys were born in the middle of May, 1975. Interestingly enough, two other ILB born that year -- James Farrior and Keith Brooking -- are also still active in the NFL. Those 4 guys all rank in the top 5 in games played by an inside linebacker.

Right now Farrior is not active as nobody has signed him.

 

[Raider Nation]

Couldnt sleep last night and NFL Network Canada was rerunning hard knocks from the 2001 Ravens season...Dear lord. Ray Lewis in his prime was just sickening. Seeing Hard Knocks, you can see the decline to now, even though he still "has it" to a certain extent.

I saw that too. Have to watch whenever that show is on, even though all the episodes are available on Hulu.

 

[Raider Nation]

I think some guys you have to disregard age to a certain extent and he's one of those guys. He's nowhere near the player he was in his 20's but he can still be a solid player for the next season or two. Sure father time will catch up with him but the way he treats his body I think he can delay the inevitable for another season or so. Guy doesn't touch any sort of junk food whatsoever. Doesn't eat pork or many other questionable foods. He definitely treats his body right.

When did this start? On the final episode of Hard Knocks (before the 2001 season), it shows him in his mother's kitchen, and she is making him a dinner consisting of grease. And a cake for dessert. "Ray loves his sweets" said his momma.

 

[The_Man]

Ray is clearly not the player he once was. He's kind of a liability in pass coverage when his opponents can get singled up on him, though the Ravens know this and do a good job of scheming to prevent that from happening. And his ability to diagnose a passing play is incredible, so that he's still very, very good in zone pass coverage whenever he isn't matched up one-on-one. It's virtually impossible to screen pass against the Ravens thanks to Ray -- and you would think that a team that gets after the QB as much as Baltimore would be susceptible to the screen.

He is still a great tackler, though he really can't take on the best O Linemen anymore and tries to jump around them, which sometimes creates gaps in the defense. But again his game knowledge (to call them instincts diminishes Ray a little, because I think his ability to be in the right place at the right time is the product of countless hours of study and game experience) has him in the right place more often than not.

One great example - the game-saving Ray hit on Darren Sproles in September 2009. Flawless tackling, superior game knowledge.

So it's interesting - you can clearly get down on Ray for not being the Ray he was 10 years ago. But from what I've seen, he's still one of the Top 3 or 4 ILBs in the NFL.

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

Never been a fan of the guy but I have tremendous respect for him as a player. He's been an enjoyable dynasty commodity too as he keeps proving the naysayers wrong on when he'll experience a precipitous decline in numbers. That being said, if I never hear the contrived christianity or see the stupid pregame dance again I won't shed a tear.

Agree with these sentiments -- not a huge fan of the guy, but hard not to be a fan of what he's still accomplishing.Yes, his game has declined, and yes, he still brings an awesome amount of energy and expertise to his role in this relatively late age.I think a good part of why he is so successful is also his leadership. We may not love the pregame dancing or the holy roller affect, but there is no question Lewis is not just a leader on the field, he is the kind of guy that elevates those around him to perform better, to dedicate themselves harder, and adopt the same kind of work ethic he has to their game.He may have slipped in terms of skills, but these are intangibles that are invaluable to a team -- and the longer you can keep that around, the better it is for the team.

 

[Pipes]

I think some guys you have to disregard age to a certain extent and he's one of those guys. He's nowhere near the player he was in his 20's but he can still be a solid player for the next season or two. Sure father time will catch up with him but the way he treats his body I think he can delay the inevitable for another season or so. Guy doesn't touch any sort of junk food whatsoever. Doesn't eat pork or many other questionable foods. He definitely treats his body right.

When did this start? On the final episode of Hard Knocks (before the 2001 season), it shows him in his mother's kitchen, and she is making him a dinner consisting of grease. And a cake for dessert. "Ray loves his sweets" said his momma.

I think for a long time. Heard a radio interview with him (Dan Patrick) I think and he's basically a health junkie. Doesn't eat fast food, pork or anything that else that can be considered junk food. Talked about drinking 2 gallons of water a day and eating a bunch of apples and other fruits and vegetables. In fact he said that if he catches a teammate eating something like a bag of chips he'll rip it from them, throw it in the trash, and toss them an apple to eat. Found a link...just some guys blog but it's from the same interview I heard...guess it was Rome and not Patrick.http://edwinthebear.blogspot.com/2012/01/staying-in-shape-with-ray-lewis.html

 

[Bayhawks]

I trade for him three years ago, hoping to get a push in a playoff run, thinking I would cut him loose after the season. He hasn't been out of my linup since except for a couple of missed games here and there.

The guy is a rare type, like some of the other greats that you can't measure them by their age.

He's great for the game and I hope he plays at a high level for another season or two. I just hope he's not one of these guys that stays a year too long.

The OP asked if he's living on his reputation. His reputation didn't rack up 100+ tackles last year . The guy is just a marvel.

Love the line about expected service life of a cyborg.

Well, to be fair, tackles are a stat tracked by the home teams, and every time Lewis gets near a tackle (even after it's pretty much over), Baltimore credits him with AT LEAST a 1/2 tackle.

 

[Bayhawks]

Ray is clearly not the player he once was. He's kind of a liability in pass coverage when his opponents can get singled up on him, though the Ravens know this and do a good job of scheming to prevent that from happening. And his ability to diagnose a passing play is incredible, so that he's still very, very good in zone pass coverage whenever he isn't matched up one-on-one. It's virtually impossible to screen pass against the Ravens thanks to Ray -- and you would think that a team that gets after the QB as much as Baltimore would be susceptible to the screen.

He is still a great tackler, though he really can't take on the best O Linemen anymore and tries to jump around them, which sometimes creates gaps in the defense. But again his game knowledge (to call them instincts diminishes Ray a little, because I think his ability to be in the right place at the right time is the product of countless hours of study and game experience) has him in the right place more often than not.

One great example - the game-saving Ray hit on Darren Sproles in September 2009. Flawless tackling, superior game knowledge.

So it's interesting - you can clearly get down on Ray for not being the Ray he was 10 years ago. But from what I've seen, he's still one of the Top 3 or 4 ILBs in the NFL.

The play you linked is from 3 years ago, when he was 34, not 37. I think that's significant.Also, that play itself isn't an indication of superior game knowledge (although it was pretty much a perfect tackle). Lewis was on a run blitz, and no one blocked the "A" gap that he shot. It was either a great play call by the DC in Baltimore, bad blocking on the part of the SD offense, or a combination of both.

 

[johnnyboy8102]

I trade for him three years ago, hoping to get a push in a playoff run, thinking I would cut him loose after the season. He hasn't been out of my linup since except for a couple of missed games here and there.

The guy is a rare type, like some of the other greats that you can't measure them by their age.

He's great for the game and I hope he plays at a high level for another season or two. I just hope he's not one of these guys that stays a year too long.

The OP asked if he's living on his reputation. His reputation didn't rack up 100+ tackles last year . The guy is just a marvel.

Love the line about expected service life of a cyborg.

Well, to be fair, tackles are a stat tracked by the home teams, and every time Lewis gets near a tackle (even after it's pretty much over), Baltimore credits him with AT LEAST a 1/2 tackle.

You are incorrect. The tackle stats done for fantasy football purposes are done by press box crews hired by the NFL.

Most teams then review the game film (the Ravens used to but stopped before last season) and release another "inflated" number. These stats are not official and are never on yahoo,espn,cbssports,etc.

If you actually watched Ravens' games and followed the play by play as it is updated you would realize how uninformed your comments are.

 

[Bayhawks]

I trade for him three years ago, hoping to get a push in a playoff run, thinking I would cut him loose after the season. He hasn't been out of my linup since except for a couple of missed games here and there.

The guy is a rare type, like some of the other greats that you can't measure them by their age.

He's great for the game and I hope he plays at a high level for another season or two. I just hope he's not one of these guys that stays a year too long.

The OP asked if he's living on his reputation. His reputation didn't rack up 100+ tackles last year . The guy is just a marvel.

Love the line about expected service life of a cyborg.

Well, to be fair, tackles are a stat tracked by the home teams, and every time Lewis gets near a tackle (even after it's pretty much over), Baltimore credits him with AT LEAST a 1/2 tackle.

You are incorrect. The tackle stats done for fantasy football purposes are done by press box crews hired by the NFL.

Most teams then review the game film (the Ravens used to but stopped before last season) and release another "inflated" number. These stats are not official and are never on yahoo,espn,cbssports,etc.

If you actually watched Ravens' games and followed the play by play as it is updated you would realize how uninformed your comments are.

Unfortunately, I was forced to watch pretty much every Ravens' game from their inception until a few years ago because I lived in Baltimore & couldn't afford Sunday ticket. In the last few years, I've lived just outside Pittsburgh, so I see the Ravens AT LEAST 8 times a year, as they are often on when the Steelers aren't (or are on a SNF/MNF game). So, I've watched MANY Ravens games, and I know exactly how WELL-INFORMED my comments are. This thread hasn't really been about Lewis' FF numbers, but about "How much can Ray Lewis possibly have left." Someone posted that "his reputation didn't rack up 100 tackles." My point wasn't about his FF numbers on yahoo, espn, cbs, etc. It was about the flaw in that line of thinking. Lewis' tackles have ALWAYS been inflated (as you yourself admitted) by the Ravens; they give him 1/2 tackles when he dives onto the play after it's already done. I'm sure other teams do the same with their stud D players, but that doesn't change the fact that Lewis' reputation very much is a part of his high number of tackles.

 

[SWC]

i think this monster from the depths of the ocean might be able to play until he is 45 and then be kicking the living hell out of dudes one half his age just like he is thor and has a magic hammer that makes him stronger than the rest of the mortals but without the whole natalie portman love angle thing which pretty much ruined the movie cripes just let thor kick butt and take names dont make it all sappy and junk jeez ray lewis is pretty much an amazing specimen although his dance is sort of dumb but at his age i guess he might have a bad hip or something which makes his shimmy shake like that take that to the bank brohans

 

[bengalbuck]

I know he hasn't ever been linked to it and I don't like when people accuse athletes of performance enhancers with no proof.

That being said, looking at Ray and a few other guys, you have to wonder. Kind of like when Bonds was still playing baseball at a high level in his mid-late 30s and his head looked huge and he looked stronger than he did in his 20s.

The NFL needs to start HGH testing as soon as possible to make sure there's a level playing field.

 

[Kenny Powers]

He probably still has some murder blood in his closet to sip from so he should be good for a couple more seasons

 

[beer 30]

Man never ate a Big Mac, I can't trust a man like that

 

[flapgreen]

I think some guys you have to disregard age to a certain extent and he's one of those guys. He's nowhere near the player he was in his 20's but he can still be a solid player for the next season or two. Sure father time will catch up with him but the way he treats his body I think he can delay the inevitable for another season or so. Guy doesn't touch any sort of junk food whatsoever. Doesn't eat pork or many other questionable foods. He definitely treats his body right.Plus with his leadership ability that will help him stick as well. That guy is such a great motivator. I don't like the Ravens and whenever I hear a Ray Lewis interview I'm ready to lay someone out. I hope he sticks around for a few more seasons because the NFL is better with him...regardless of how many feel about him.

Amen.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

The dude eats HGH like candy. He'll play another 2-3 years.

 

[Raider Nation]

http://top100.nfl.com/tracker

Ray Ray voted the 20th-best player in the NFL.

This isn't a career achievement list, mind you. It's supposed to be a ranking of the players based on their play right now.

Not that anyone takes this list seriously anyway.

 

[chook]

I think some guys you have to disregard age to a certain extent and he's one of those guys. He's nowhere near the player he was in his 20's but he can still be a solid player for the next season or two. Sure father time will catch up with him but the way he treats his body I think he can delay the inevitable for another season or so. Guy doesn't touch any sort of junk food whatsoever. Doesn't eat pork or many other questionable foods. He definitely treats his body right.

Plus with his leadership ability that will help him stick as well. That guy is such a great motivator. I don't like the Ravens and whenever I hear a Ray Lewis interview I'm ready to lay someone out. I hope he sticks around for a few more seasons because the NFL is better with him...regardless of how many feel about him.

Whoa there ... no need to be trashing our friend the pig. It's OK to like Ray Lewis and bacon.