As Super Bowl Champions, the Ravens will open their season in Baltimore on Thursday Night Football. That night, fans will get their first taste of Baltimore Ravens football without Ray Lewis, a man who gave everything he had to the Ravens and the city of Baltimore.
If there were mountains in the city of Baltimore, Lewis’ face would surely join Johnny Unitas, Cal Ripken and Brooks Robinson on the Mount Rushmore of Baltimore sports. Given the landscape restrictions, the city and the Ravens will honor Lewis in a more traditional way.
Fresh off his first Super Bowl win as the majority owner of the Ravens, owner Steve Bisciotti addressed the media during his annual season review press conference. During the conference, Bisciotti was asked if a statue of Lewis may go up around M&T Bank Stadium to honor him.
“Yes, and the fact that you said, ‘Maybe,’ I’ll say, ‘Absolutely, maybe.'” Bisciotti said confidently. “Yes, we have to work that out. Where? And how long it takes? But, yes, I think he set himself apart in Baltimore sports history and we will certainly look into it.”
Lewis ends his 17-year professional career having only played for the Ravens. While a member of the franchise, he won two Super Bowls, was named to 13 Pro Bowls and was named Defensive Player of the Year twice, amongst many other accolades.
As for a timeframe for the statue project, Bisciotti has other important things to discuss first. One of the only negative things that comes with winning a Super Bowl is that you’re five weeks behind teams who ended their season after Week 17.
Bisciotti could only lend, “I would not be surprised if there was one in the next year or two.”
Given the contributions Lewis has made to the team and city, it’s likely that he’ll receive some of the same treatment the late Johnny Unitas received where a statue and plaza were dedicated to him outside of the stadium. Lewis will surely join the team’s Ring of Honor and will likely have his number retired as well.
With so many iconic poses that come to mind when you close your eyes and think about Ray Lewis, figuring out the design of the statue may be the hardest thing of all.
