Two more knockout hires for the Ravens
On Wednesday, the Baltimore Ravens made two more hires to their coaching staff, adding Greg Lewis as their wide receivers coach and Chuck Smith as their linebackers coach, Head Coach John Harbaugh announced.
“Greg has contributed to championship-level offenses and is a proven and creative game-planner,” Harbaugh stated. “His vast experience as a coach and a player will be a significant asset to our wide receivers room. A leader and effective instructor of the craft, Greg has a proven track record of developing talent and maximizing his units’ production.”
Lewis, 43, replaces the wide receivers coach vacancy left by Tee Martin, who moved to quarterbacks coach. He has nine years of NFL experience as a coach, beginning with an offensive assistant role with the New Orleans Saints (2015), before working with the Philadelphia Eagles as a wide receivers coach in 2016. Since 2017, Lewis has coached for the Kansas City Chiefs for their wide receivers (2017-2020) and/or running backs (2021-2022).
While coaching the wide receivers at Kansas City, the CHiefrs’ wide receivers corps averaged the third-most yards per reception (14.0) and scored the fourth-most receiving touchdowns (83) and notched the fifth-most yards after catch (4,200).
Lewis, prior to coaching, played in the NFL for eight seasons, with six for the Philadelphia Eagles and two with the Minnesota Vikings. His name may sound familiar as he caught a brilliant touchdown pass against the San Francisco 49ers from quarterback Brett Favre to clinch a comeback victory with two seconds remaining.
September 27, 2009: @BrettFavre throws an absolute dime to Greg Lewis for a 32-yard game-winning TD with two seconds left giving the Vikings a 27-24 win over the 49ers. pic.twitter.com/ut5Mhiy2ZD
— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) September 27, 2020
Also hired on Wednesday was outside linebackers coach Chuck Smith, who will replace Rob Leonard, who left to coach for the Las Vegas Raiders as a defensive lineman coach.
“Chuck is a proven and highly-respected pass rush coach who many pro and collegiate players have sought guidance from,” Harbaugh stated. “He brings unique insight, experience and passion to the Ravens, and we’re confident that he’ll have a great impact on our outside linebackers group.”
Smith is a highly-regarded pass rush coach that goes by the nickname ‘Dr. Rush.’ He’s helped to coach the likes of Von Miller, Cameron Heyward, Maxx Crosby and Aaron Donald. According to Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr, he’s given distinct credit from numerous stars.
“He works regularly with Steelers All-Pro Cam Heyward and Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby, now one of the richest players in professional football,” Orr wrote. “Von Miller considers him his personal Phil Jackson, and Aaron Donald says Smith taught him one of his most potent moves, the club chop. ‘If quarterback is the most important position, [the player] stopping him, a pass rusher, must be the second most,’ Dr. Rush says.”
Prior to coaching, Smith played nine years in the NFL (1992-2000), with eight in an Atlanta Falcons uniform. In his sixth season in the NFL, Smith posted 12 sacks, 54 tackles and one interception, earning his Second-Team All-Pro Honors. Smith finished his NFL career with 322 tackles, 58.5 sacks, 20 forced fumbles, three interceptions and one touchdown.
This is the exact kind of hire the Ravens need for a crop of young pass rushers, including third-year outside linebacker Odafe Oweh and second-year pass rusher David Ojabo.