Ray Lewis is Baltimore’s greatest sports legend

Baltimore has seen some pretty incredible athletes. But nobody is a bigger Baltimore icon than Ray Lewis:

Ray Lewis is about to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This is a reflection of all the emotions and thoughts that have been running through my head on this very special day.

On the baseball diamond you have guys like Cal Ripken Jr., Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson and Jim Palmer. On the football field, Baltimore has legends like Johnny Unitas, Raymond Berry, Jonathan Ogden and Ed Reed. Don’t forget Baltimore’s unstoppable Olympian, Michael Phelps. There is no shortage of great athletes in the history of Baltimore. Ray Lewis is Baltimore’s greatest sports legend.

Lewis played 17 seasons for the Baltimore Ravens, which just happened to be the team’s first 17 years in Baltimore. He was the face of the franchise and he was the leader of the team. Lewis is to the Ravens what Montana is to the 49ers. When you think of the 49ers, Montana is still the first thing most of you probably think about. It will always be that way. When you think of the Baltimore Ravens, Ray Lewis is the first thing you thing about.

When the Baltimore Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV it was the greatest feeling sports could offer a fanbase. The Baltimore Colts left in 1984 and the Ravens didn’t come along until 1996. Ray Lewis was the second player drafted by Baltimore’s new team. That has a lot to do with the magical relationship Lewis and Baltimore have. Until 2012, Ravens fans didn’t know what life was like without number 52 dancing out of the tunnel.

The fact that Lewis spent 17 seasons in Baltimore, means a lot to the Ravens Flock. To put that into perspective, Lewis played one more year in Baltimore than Unitas did. Unitas played with the Colts from 1956-1972 and before Lewis came along, the idea that a player would surpass his legendary status seemed unthinkable. Now outside M&T Bank Stadium, is Unitas Plaza, which features statues of both Unitas and Lewis. Football came back to Baltimore, and the team’s greatest player stayed for his entire career.

Lewis has plenty of accomplishments, but his meaning to the Maryland sports fan isn’t something that can be put on a resume. Being a Super Bowl MVP puts you in pretty elite company. Winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year twice isn’t exactly easy. Replicating the impact that Lewis had on the Baltimore sports landscape is impossible.

Baltimore has some incredible sports figures, but Ray Lewis is the top guy on the list. If you were going to do a Mount Rushmore of Baltimore Sports figures, Lewis would be the first guy on just about everyone’s list (My four would be Lewis, Unitas, Ripken Jr., Phelps, but that’s a conversation for another day). Trying to tell the history of the Ravens without Lewis is like trying to tell the story of America without George Washington. While guys like Unitas and Phelps may be equal in terms of greatness, no player could ever mean more to Baltimore sports than number 52.