The Baltimore Ravens have had many great defensive players walk through their doors over the course of their franchise history. The team has been known for their stout defenses, and in many years have put together one of the best units in football due to both the players and coaches on that side of the football.
When ranking the top-10 best defensive players in NFL history, Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports put a member of the Baltimore organization who was a part of many elite defensive units on his list in inside linebacker Ray Lewis. The veteran came in at No. 3, with Kerr talking about the many accolades that Lewis was able to secure over the course of his long career.
“Lewis has accolades that are unmatched for his position in NFL history. The face of the Baltimore Ravens, Lewis is the first — and only — player in NFL history with 40 sacks and 30 interceptions in a career, while his 50 career takeaways (31 interceptions, 19 fumble recoveries) rank second among linebackers since the AFL-NFL merger…A two-time Defensive Player of the Year (2000, 2003), Lewis was the leader of the 2000 Ravens defense — one of the greatest units in NFL history. The Ravens posted league records in a 16-game season for fewest rushing yards (970), shutouts (four), and points allowed (165). He captured Super Bowl XXXV MVP honors that season, the first of two Super Bowl titles he won in Baltimore (ended his career with a title in Super Bowl XLVII).”
The Hall-of-Famer played for 17 seasons in the NFL, all with the Ravens. He accumulated a whopping 2,059 tackles, 41.5 sacks, 31 interceptions, 20 fumble recoveries, and 19 forced fumbles in that span, becoming one of the most dominant defensive players ever. He was a true leader both on and off the field, and he made an imprint on the Baltimore franchise that will never be forgotten.
The only two players to be ranked ahead of Lewis on Kerr’s list are former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor at No. 2 and longtime defensive lineman Reggie White in the top spot at No. 1.