Ray Lewis Named To NFL Hall Of Fame

It's official: Ray Lewis has joined the NFL Hall of Fame. He was one of eight new Hall of Famers the league announced at its annual NFL Honors ceremony.

Lewis, a member of the Baltimore Ravens from 1996 to 2012, was a force to be reckoned with on the defense and was known for his leadership role on the team.

He played 17 consecutive seasons as a linebacker, including two Super Bowl wins, was twice named Defensive Player of the Year and won Super Bowl MVP in 2000.

"Ray Lewis owned the mantle as the league's preeminent middle linebacker, bringing a ferocity in his tackling that was only matched by his versatility and intelligence. He was part of a new school of do-everything middle linebackers," according to a statement from the NFL on its newest Hall of Fame selections.

"Known as one of the great leaders of all time, Lewis maintained the Ravens' level of defensive excellence throughout the aughts," the NFL said in a statement, noting he was a "rare player" for receiving the Defensive Player of the Year honor twice. "He was a first-team All Pro seven times, the type of number that made him a shoo-in first ballot Hall of Famer."

To make it into the NFL Hall of Fame, a player must have been retired for at least five years. There is no other official qualification.

"It's pretty clear Ray was the heart and soul of the Ravens for 17 years," fellow Hall of Famer Jonathan Ogden said.

Ogden, who was an offensive tackle for the Ravens from 1996 to 2007, is the only other player drafted by the Ravens named to the Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 2013.

"If anyone is deserving of this honor, it's Ray Lewis. He is a guy we all looked to – both on offense and defense – to lead our team," Ogden said in a statement. "He was definitely the catalyst for our 2000 Super Bowl team, and throughout the years, he helped define what it means to be a Raven."

The 48-member Hall of Fame Selection Committee consists of media representatives from all cities with an NFL team (two from New York, for the Jets and Giants) as well as 16 at-large members. In Baltimore, Scott Garceau of WMAR-TV is the committee member.

Players may be nominated by writing to the hall of fame. In March, the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Selection Committee compiles a list of the nominees, which is whittled down with several rounds of votes throughout the year.

The Saturday before Super Bowl Sunday, the committee takes a final vote before naming the top five to 10 candidates.

Eight members were inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame on Saturday, Feb. 3, at the NFL Honors ceremony in Minnesota:

• General manager Bobby Beathard
• Linebacker Robert Brazile
• Safety Brian Dawkins
• Guard Jerry Kramer
• Linebacker Ray Lewis
• Wide receiver Randy Moss
• Wide receiver Terrell Owens
• Linebacker Brian Urlacher

"Even in that small group who have the honor of being a Hall of Famer, Ray stands out," said Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome, who was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1999 as a tight end for the Cleveland Browns.

Of Lewis, he added: "When you talk about the great players of all time, no matter position, he is among the greatest of the great."

Lewis and the other Hall of Fame selections will officially be enshrined in August 2018 at the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

See Also:

• Ray Lewis Statue Unveiled At Ravens Stadium
• Ray Lewis Home Dips Below $1 Million

Former NFL player Ray Lewis, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2018, speaks at the 7th Annual NFL Honors at the Cyrus Northrop Memorial Auditorium on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by AJ Mast/Invision for NFL/AP Images)