Ray Lewis

Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr. grew up in Bartow, Florida, the oldest of five siblings in a single-parent household. He was a wrestling and football star at Kathleen High School, went to the University of Miami on a scholarship, and was starting at linebacker in his freshman year. The Ravens took him 26th overall in the 1996 draft — the franchise's second-ever pick, one spot after Hall of Fame tackle Jonathan Ogden. He led Baltimore in tackles as a rookie. He led them in tackles in 13 of the next 16 seasons. He was the last remaining active player from the Ravens' inaugural 1996 season when he retired after Super Bowl XLVII.

The Ravens' 2000 defense remains the standard by which all NFL defenses are measured. They allowed 165 points over 16 regular season games — the fewest in a 16-game season at the time. They allowed just 970 rushing yards, held four opponents to zero points, and forced 49 turnovers. Lewis was the center of it, winning AP Defensive Player of the Year and then Super Bowl XXXV MVP in the Ravens' 34–7 win over the New York Giants. He became just the second player in NFL history to win both awards in the same season.

Lewis announced his retirement before the 2012 playoffs, having played just six games that season after tearing his triceps. He came back for the postseason, helped lead Baltimore past Denver, New England, and San Francisco, and played his final game in Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans — a 34–31 Ravens win. He had four tackles and three assists in the game. The image of Lewis walking out of the tunnel for the last time became one of the defining photographs in Ravens history.

On May 11, 2010, a portion of North Avenue in Baltimore was renamed "Ray Lewis Way" in recognition of his charitable work in the city. Through the Ray Lewis Foundation and other initiatives, Lewis funded youth programs, mentorship work, and community development across Baltimore for decades. His number 52 was retired by the Ravens on November 3, 2013.

Ray Lewis is the only player in NFL history to record at least 40 career sacks and 30 career interceptions. It's a combination that has never been duplicated. It speaks to what made him different: he wasn't just a tackling machine — he could rush the passer, cover receivers, and take the ball away. He ended his career second only to Jack Ham among linebackers in total takeaways since the 1970 merger.