It seems nearly impossible to imagine the Ravens without Ray Lewis, that has anchored Baltimore's renowned defense ever since the team has been around since.
For 17 years, Lewis has been stalking opposing quarterbacks and running backs. He inspired his teammates with emotional speeches, proudly donned his No. 52 jersey on Sunday afternoons and did all things in his capacity to help Baltimore win.
Soon, everything are only a memory. In a stunning announcement Wednesday, the two-time AP Opponent of the season said he'll retire following the Ravens complete their 2013 playoff run.
"It caught me by surprise, because we all thought the truly amazing Ray Lewis was going to play forever," Baltimore outside linebacker Terrell Suggs said. "I thought he was going to surpass Favre fined but still be out there doing the work well into his 40s. He let us know the sun is setting on his career. It's amazing and it's sad, all simultaneously."
When Lewis gathered his teammates together Wednesday morning, nobody were built with a clue what he was about to inform them.
"Everything that starts comes with an end," the 37-year-old Lewis said. "For me, today, I told my team this will be my last ride."
The reaction was stunned silence.
"I thought we were getting our 'Let's go on a run within the playoffs' speech,'" Suggs said. "Not that."
Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Ray Lewis... View Full Caption
Lewis has been sidelined since Oct. 14 with a torn right triceps. He promises to return Sunday to manage the Indianapolis Colts with what will almost certainly be his final home game.
So when he is doing his trademark dance after emerging in the tunnel, Lewis will get an ovation 17 years in the making.
"That moment I walk out of that tunnel Sunday, everyone that was a Ravens fan - 1996 even today - we will all enjoy that moment," he said. "It will probably be among the glorious moments within my life."
Lewis is poised just to walk from the game while he really wants to hang out with his sons. While trying to return from his injury, Lewis watched a couple of his boys play on exactly the same senior high school football team in Florida. He intends to see Ray Lewis III perform like a freshman next year for the University of Miami, where Lewis starred before the Ravens selected him in the first round of the 1996 draft.
"God is calling," Lewis said. "My children make the ultimate sacrifice for his or her father for 17 years. I'd rather not discover their whereabouts do that forget about. I've done things i desired to do within this business, and today it's my turn to give them something back."
That's why Lewis will accomplish his uniform for the last time after the Ravens lose or claim their second Super Bowl title.
"It's either (that or) hold onto the sport and keep playing and let my children miss out on times we can be spending together," Lewis said. "Because I usually promised my son if he got a complete ride on scholarship Daddy will probably be there, I can not miss that."
Lewis was the AP Opponent of the season in 2000, exactly the same season he was voted Super Bowl MVP following Baltimore's 34-7 rout from the New York Giants. Lewis seemed to be Opponent of the season in 2003, and it is the only player in NFL history with at least 40 career sacks and 30 interceptions.
"I never literally game for individual stats," Lewis said. "I only literally game to make my team a much better team."
