Baltimore Ravens LB Ray Lewis confirms retiring from pro league at season end – NFL News
Baltimore Ravens veteran linebacker Ray Lewis has confirmed reports that he will quit professional league at the end of this season and if the Ravens lose their next game versus the Indianapolis Colts it will be all over for him.
The linebacker has been activated to play against the Colts, which will be his first game in last two months, since injuring his triceps earlier in the regular season.
He was placed on the injured reserve designated to return list and the team took him back on the active roster last month to help him qualify for playing in the second round.
Lewis said:
"I talked to my team today. I talked to them about life in general. And everything that starts has an end. For me, today, I told my team that this will be my last ride."
His plans for departure from the league were reported in some media sections last week but neither the player nor the team had accepted their validity or rejected them. Some analysts had predicted the move coming since the veteran had been struggling with
injury issues and his fitness had become a major issue for him.
It has been a great run from the running back. He was part of all glorious moments of the team, including four-time playoff berth over past four years.
Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano, who had been a defensive coordinator at the Ravens, had earlier said:
"I thought, shoot, the guy could play forever and would play forever. Great person, great man, great player, just an unbelievable human being - what he's done for that organisation, that city and for that matter, so many people. He's obviously a first-ballot
Hall of Famer and will be sorely missed."
The player said his family was one of the reasons behind calling it a day from the league. He said he wants to spend more time with his family, especially with his sons.
If the Ravens are able to through to the Super Bowl title game this season, he will have an opportunity to end his career at a high note. Nevertheless, he has led the team to Super Bowl title game in 2000.
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