Ray Lewis retrospective: 1996-2013
We’ve scanned the archives and assembled this collection of Ray Lewis photos, capturing moments — on and off the field — from each year of No. 52’s storied 17-season career with the Ravens.
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- Ray Lewis at the Ravens’ Super Bowl XLVII victory celebration: “There is nothing in the world, there is no place on this earth, that is better than Baltimore. This city, this city, we believed in each other from Day One, from 1996 to now. … I love you, Baltimore. Baltimore! Forever my city. I love you.” (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun Photo of Lewis during 2011 season)
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- Ravens rookie Ray Lewis (52) celebrates after intercepting a pass in the 1996 season opener against the Oakland Raiders at Memorial Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis (left) and quarterback Vinny Testaverde (right) pose in the team’s new uniforms with model Rebecca Romijn. (Hillery Smith/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis pressures Giants quarterback Dave Brown in a 24-23 win on Sept. 14, 1997. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis sacks Redskins quarterback Gus Frerotte in the fourth quarter of the Ravens’ 20-17 win Oct. 26, 1997, in Landover, Md. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis sits alone on the bench after a 20-13 loss to the Steelers in the 1998 season opener, the first regular-season game at the new Ravens stadium. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis and Rob Burnett celebrate after a defensive stop in the Ravens’ 13-10 win over Oakland on Nov. 8, 1998. (John Makely/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis chases down running back Priest Holmes during a 1999 training camp practice in Westminster. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis takes the field and fires up Ravens fans during pre-game introductions on Sept. 10, 2000. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis celebrates after making a play in the Ravens’ 39-36 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 10, 2000, at PSINet Stadium. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis outruns the Tennessee Titans’ Frank Wycheck for a fourth-quarter touchdown during the Ravens’ 24-10 win in the divisional round of the playoffs on Jan. 7, 2001. Lewis returned the interception of Titans quarterback Steve McNair 50 yards for the first touchdown of his career. (Doug Kapustin/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis celebrates on the podium after the Ravens’ 34-7 victory in Super Bowl XXXV as John Modell looks on. Lewis was named Super Bowl MVP, becoming the first middle linebacker to win the award. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis (left) and Rod Woodson share a laugh during minicamp practice on June 13, 2001. (John Makely/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis lays a crushing hit on Giants running back Sean Bennett, who falls backward over Ed Reed during a preseason game on Aug. 29, 2002. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis pumps up the crowd during the Ravens’ 44-6 rout of the San Francisco 49ers on Nov. 30, 2003, at M&T Bank Stadium. (David Hobby/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Quarterback Kyle Boller (left) and linebacker Ray Lewis model the Ravens’ new black uniforms on June 16, 2004. (David Hobby/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis celebrates after making a tackle in the Ravens’ 30-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 21, 2004, at M&T Bank Stadium. (John Makely/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis surveys the field during a Ravens minicamp practice on June. 7, 2005. (John Makely/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis reacts to a call during the Ravens’ 35-17 loss to the Detroit Lions on Oct. 9, 2005. The Ravens had 21 penalties (one shy of the NFL record), four turnovers and two players ejected in the humbling defeat in Detroit. (John Makely/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis celebrates after Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Chris Simms (back) is sacked by Bart Scott in the Ravens’ 27-0 win in the 2006 season opener. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis and his teammates wait in the smoke during introductions before a 19-7 victory over the Buffalo Bills in the final game of the 2006 regular season. (John Makely/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis is pictured as time winds down in the Ravens’ 21-7 loss to the Bengals on Nov. 11, 2007. It’s the third of nine straight defeats for the Ravens, who finish the 2007 season 5-11. (Glenn Fawcett/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis (left) and defensive coordinator Rex Ryan talk on the sideline during the Ravens’ 15-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in an AFC divisional playoff game on Jan. 13, 2007. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis returns an interception during the Ravens’ 41-13 win over the Houston Texans on Nov. 9, 2008. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis claps his hands after tackling Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall on Sept. 29, 2008. (Christopher T. Assaf/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ed Reed (left), Terrell Suggs (center) and Ray Lewis celebrate the Ravens’ 24-10 win over the Washington Redskins on Dec. 7, 2008. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis signs autographs for a sea of Ravens fans during 2009 training camp at McDaniel College. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- The Westminster Dogg Show: Ray Lewis talks with rapper Snoop Dogg (third from right) during the artist’s 2009 visit to Ravens training camp at McDaniel College. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis reacts after stopping Chargers running back Darren Sproles in the backfield with 30 seconds left, securing a 31-26 victory over San Diego on Sept. 20, 2009, at Qualcomm Stadium. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis (left) talks with Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco after Cincinnati’s 17-7 win on Nov. 8, 2009, at Paul Brown Stadium. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis hits Indianapolis Colts tight end Tom Santi, forcing a fumble near the goal line in Indianapolis’ 17-15 win on Nov. 22, 2009. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis wipes away tears as he talks about his feelings for the city of Baltimore while his son, Ray Lewis III (left), and Baltimore City Comptroller Joan Pratt (center) look on. Lewis was on hand to help unveil a street sign designating a section of Baltimore’s North Avenue as “Ray Lewis Way” — an honor recognizing his play for the Ravens and his work off the field on behalf of disadvantaged youths and their families. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis and the Ravens celebrate after rallying to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 17-14, on Oct. 3, 2010, at Heinz Field. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis (left) drags the Carolina Panthers’ Steve Smith into the end zone as he scores a touchdown after an interception on Nov. 21, 2010. The Ravens won, 37-13. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- From left, Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis, Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews and Ray Lewis promote the Madden NFL 12 video game at an event in Los Angeles. (Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)
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- Ray Lewis gets pumped up between plays during the fourth quarter of the Ravens’ 35-7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 11, 2011. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ravens Dannell Ellerbe (59), Paul Kruger (back), and Arthur Jones (right) surround Ray Lewis after he recovered a fumble against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 11, 2011. Baltimore routed the Steelers in the season opener, 35-7. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Tennessee tight end Craig Stevens tangles with Ray Lewis during the Titans’ 23-16 win over the Ravens on Sept. 18, 2011. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Haloti Ngata (92) is mobbed by Ray Lewis (52) and Terrell Suggs after a fumble recovery for a fourth-quarter touchdown against the St. Louis Rams on Sept. 25, 2011. The Ravens won, 37-7. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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Ray Lewis (left) tries to slow Texans running back Arian Foster during the Ravens’ 29-14 win on Oct. 16, 2011, at M&T Bank Stadium. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Photo)
An earlier version of this caption misidentified the game date and other information in the photo. The Baltimore Sun regrets the errors.
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- Ray Lewis makes his entrance before the Ravens’ prime-time game against the New England Patriots on Sept. 23, 2012, at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens won, 31-30, on a 27-yard field goal by Justin Tucker as time expired. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis pays tribute to former Ravens owner Art Modell during the season opener against the Bengals. “The only reason I’m in Baltimore is because of him. The only reason the Ravens have a team is because of him. The only reason a lot of sacrifices have happened throughout this league is because of him,” Lewis said of Modell, who died at 87 on Sept. 6. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ravens players watch as Ray Lewis is introduced before his final home game on an emotional day at M&T Bank Stadium. Lewis recorded a game-high 13 tackles as the Ravens beat the Indianapolis Colts, 24-9, in an AFC wild card game. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun)
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- Following the 24-9 playoff win over the Colts, Ray Lewis salutes Ravens fans while taking a post-game victory lap around the stadium, bringing back memories of Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr.’s jog around Camden Yards when he broke Lou Gehrig’s streak. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis celebrates the Ravens’ 38-35 overtime win over the Denver Broncos in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. “When all the emotions calm down, it will probably be one of the greatest victories in Ravens history,” Lewis said. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis (top) and Haloti Ngata (92) stop the New England Patriots’ Shane Vereen during the Ravens’ 28-13 win in the AFC championship game. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Dennis Pitta (left) and Ray Lewis celebrate the Ravens’ 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis hoists the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Ravens’ win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ray Lewis lifts the Vince Lombardi Trophy while addressing the fans at City Hall during the Ravens Super Bowl victory celebration. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Ravens fan Gary McHugh Jr. holds up a giant Ray Lewis head during the Super Bowl victory celebration at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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- Fans crowd around Ray Lewis and the Ravens during the Super Bowl XLVII victory parade through downtown Baltimore. (Colby Ware/For The Baltimore Sun)
Your turn: Share your favorite Ray Lewis moments and most enduring memories in the comments.
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john
Feb 07, 2013 @ 12:15:28
JAY, you got to be a Stupid Sqeelers fan troll right??? If not, your one of the biggest JERK-OFFS in Baltimore. Go watch soccer you MORON!
Jay
Jan 13, 2013 @ 10:22:23
Living in Baltimore I’ve become disgusted with the love fest for Ray Lewis’ final season. What can only be categorized as obstinate refusal to acknowledge, or even consider for that matter choosing instead to construct bizarre and rather disillusioned realities, any conversation of Mr. Lewis’ past. To me Lewis will always at best be an accomplice to murder. In fact Ravens fans are completely obtuse when it comes to how Mr. Lewis is seen beyond their regional fandom. The particulars of the case are public domain so I won’t delve into them here. On the few occasions when I have engaged in conversation on the matter with Ravens fans, always careful to wait for a solicitation on Lewis’ legacy and not offer my opinion on my own accord, I present an agreement and offer resources so they can do their own research and make their own educated decisions. Much to my disgust they consistently offer illogical and badly reasoned excuses, find they are terribly ignorant of the case and often the response I have gotten is along the lines “so what would you have done if you were him,” “that was 12 years ago” or “you would have rooted for him to if he was on your team” maybe the most despicable argument of all as they attempt to push their lack of integrity onto others.
Now it is true that Lewis plead out of a murder charge, instead agreeing to incriminate his friends which he later and obstructively failed to do, helping them escape murder charges as well without penalty, but whether a murderer, an accomplice to murder or a participant covering up a murder I do not believe this is a subject I would ever split hairs over. It is sad that there are people that will. This however goes way beyond Mr. Lewis and the city of Baltimore. Whether we are talking about Lewis, Stallworth, Brandy, Leonard Little, Roethlisberger etc. it is only a small piece of a much larger cultural problem and because we as a people make despicable acts and by extension the persons committing them unaccountable, we provide the worst example of all. The message our society continually sends is that their indifference and distorted realities are justified. As long as your rich enough, famous enough or win us enough sporting events we turn a blind eye while those of us disgusted are drowned out by the mortal apathy of the majority. Yet when something tragic and/or criminal happens and people start to ask why we live in such a sick society or what the problem is with our culture they never stop to consider their own role, preferring instead to dismiss such thoughts and remove any culpability from them self because they aren’t the ones “doing it.” I submit they should look in the mirror as they perpetuate this social sickness, allowing celebrities and alike to get away without repercussion and send messages that these acts are not only tolerable but unremarkable and prop up this social apparatus that make them possible. People than wonder why it is we live in a cultural so dominated by moral apathy, violence and fear.
Once ESPN goes down this road of hiring Mr. Lewis I will be done with them as an entity. I will no longer watch any of the ESPN networks; use any of the online media or radio products. I will also be done with the HOF. I can no longer support such criminal indifference in myself. I find it difficult to reconcile that so many people can and will labor tirelessly to reason the support of such people as Mr. Lewis but then again what’s murder against winning football games? At least in Baltimore regrettably there is no contest, moral integrity is a distant second.
Bryan
Jan 11, 2013 @ 16:59:45
Photo #46 (Ray tackling Arian Foster) is not from the 2012 regular season. The Ravens did not lose that game. That game occurred in Texas and the uniforms were Nike. This looks like it was the Ravens/Texans home playoff game in January of 2012, in which Baltimore won (Foster didn’t score against the Ravens during the regular season, so the only time he crossed the goal line was in the playoffs).
Stokely Baksh
Jan 13, 2013 @ 11:15:01
Bryan,
Thanks for your comment. You’re correct in pointing out that the original caption on this photo was incorrect. The photo actually shows Ray Lewis and Arian Foster during the Ravens’ 29-14 win over Houston on Oct. 16, 2011. I’ve fixed the caption and apologize for any confusion.
-Pete Sweigard