Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis will talk about anything regarding the team ? except his contract situation.
The nine-time Pro Bowl selection is in the final year of a seven-year, $50 million contract he signed in 2002. He?s coming off a season in which heled the Ravens and was 12th in the NFL with 120 tackles to go along with two sacks, two interceptions and a touchdown. Still, it is unclear if the Ravens will sign him to a new deal.
“I?m going to keep talking about football,” Lewis, who turns 33 on Thursday, said. “That?s irrelevant for what we?re trying to do right now. We?re trying to stay as a team and if we keep that team concept there then the team concept stays there. So, if you go out talking about an individual ? what I want to do, what I want to do ? it means nothing.”
Lewis isn?t ready to slow down as he enters his 13th season in he NFL. The 6-foot-1, 245-pounder displayed the same energy and enthusiasm during the Ravens? mandatory mini-camp, which ended Sunday, as he did when he arrived from the University of Miami (Fla.) after he was selected with the 26th pick in the 1996 draft.
Lewis understands his chances to get back to the Super Bowl are dwindling, but he appears ready to work with first-year coach John Harbaugh to make the Ravens contenders a year after going 5-11.
“[With] John, you have a new personality, we have a totally new coaching staff and we have a lot of new players coming in,” Lewis said. “You don?t want to let them come in and hear you talking about [last season].”
Harbaugh said he is excited to coach Lewis after admiring him while he spent the past 10 seasons as an assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles.
“We had a chance the very first mini camp to get to know Ray a little bit,” Harbaugh said. “I was most impressed with his love for the game. The guy really likes football. He loves coming to practice; he loves being in meetings.”
Lewis also continues to evolve into a mentor of the Ravens? younger players, including rookie linebacker Tavares Gooden, who wore the same jersey number ? No. 52 ? at the University of Miami.
“Small little things that I mess up on, he always tells me, ?I?m going to teach you that,?” Gooden said of Lewis. “I think it?s a great opportunity for me to have ? a guy who went to Miami, a guy that I followed through my whole career.”
