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)
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)
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)
Ray Lewis pressures Giants quarterback Dave Brown in a 24-23 win on Sept. 14, 1997. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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)
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)
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)
Ray Lewis chases down running back Priest Holmes during a 1999 training camp practice in Westminster. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun Photo)
Ray Lewis takes the field and fires up Ravens fans during pre-game introductions on Sept. 10, 2000. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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)
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)
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)
Ray Lewis (left) and Rod Woodson share a laugh during minicamp practice on June 13, 2001. (John Makely/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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)
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)
Quarterback Kyle Boller (left) and linebacker Ray Lewis model the Ravens’ new black uniforms on June 16, 2004. (David Hobby/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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)
Ray Lewis surveys the field during a Ravens minicamp practice on June. 7, 2005. (John Makely/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Ray Lewis claps his hands after tackling Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall on Sept. 29, 2008. (Christopher T. Assaf/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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)
Ray Lewis signs autographs for a sea of Ravens fans during 2009 training camp at McDaniel College. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun Photo)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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.
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Fans crowd around Ray Lewis and the Ravens during the Super Bowl XLVII victory parade through downtown Baltimore. (Colby Ware/For The Baltimore Sun)
