RAY LEWIS: NO HOMETOWN DISCOUNT
Posted by Aaron Wilson on February 5, 2009, 6:08 p.m.
Don’t count on All-Pro middle linebacker
Ray Lewis
granting the Baltimore Ravens the “hometown discount,” in free agency that team owner Steve Bisciotti is hoping for.
In an interview on the NFL Network, the two-time
NFL
Defensive Player of the Year said he wouldn’t give the Ravens a hometown discount and described the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Jets as intriguing possibilities, albeit with a lot of encouragement from host Jamie Dukes during their seven-minute chat.
“I don’t play less,” Lewis told the NFL Network during an interview at the
Pro Bowl
, per the Baltimore Sun. “If you don’t play less, you don’t take less. That’s just life.”
Bisciotti and Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs have both recently raised the topic of a hometown discount during interviews, but Lewis doesn’t sound interested in the idea.
Lewis has clashed in the past with Cowboys star wide receiver Terrell Owens, who successfuly fought a trade to the Ravens in 2004 and imitated Lewis’ trademark dance after scoring a touchdown against Baltimore when he was with the Philadelphia Eagles.
However, Lewis said he wouldn’t have an issue being Owens’ teammate.
“I can definitely play with T.O.,” Lewis said. “I think T.O. is a great, great person. I just love him. I love his work ethic. I love everything about him. So, playing with T.O. is easy.”
Of course, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, tight end Jason Witten and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett might beg to differ about Owens.
Meanwhile, Lewis said he wouldn’t be concerned about the Cowboys’ shaky locker room chemistry, saying every team needs a strong leader to unify the team.
“I don’t see all of that outside stuff that they’re talking about what goes on in Dallas,” Lewis said. “I see Dallas as a great opportunity. It’s always been America’s Team. It’s just a great place to play football.”
It’s unclear if Dallas is going to go actually pursue Lewis since owner Jerry Jones’ primary stated goal is to sign outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware to a major contract extension.
Lewis expressed interest in New York largely because his former defensive coordinator Rex Ryan is now the Jets’ head coach. Plus, Dukes brought up the Jets.
“That opportunity by itself looks attractive,” Lewis said. “That just sounds right. It’s like, ‘Wow, if something does happen where you’re not back in Baltimore, the Jets wouldn’t be bad.’”
As far as the prospect of staying with the Ravens, where he has played his entire career since being drafted in the first round out of the University of Miami in 1996, Lewis isn’t closing that door.
Yet, he did express disappointment that his contract status hasn’t already been addressed. The Ravens have never let Lewis get to free agency before during his 13-year tenure in Baltimore.
“The uncomfortable thing about me is that I’m even having this conversation,” Lewis said. “With everything I’ve given to that city, I’ve always felt that this is one conversation that I would never have and didn’t want to have. That scenario in Baltimore … that’s nothing I don’t love about my city.”
Of course, that doesn’t mean Lewis will necessarily take a paycut to stay with the Ravens. Lewis’ seven-year, $50 million contract signed in August 2002 has expired. He was paid a $6.5 million base salary each of the past two seasons.
Now, Lewis is being represented by agent David Dunn after Roosevelt Barnes and Eugene Parker negotiated his last deal with Baltimore.
