Baltimore Ravens Want Ray Lewis To Return As a Coach
By Josh Hill
Ravens fans can’t get enough of Ray Lewis right now, and as he rides off into the sunset fans and coaches alike are begging the future Hall of Famer to stay with the team. We all know that Lewis returning as a player is completely out of the question, as it would be a Manti Te’o-like con-job to get the public all jazzed up emotionally. But while he won’t be returning tot he sidelines as a player, the Ravens are very open to the idea of him returning as a coach.
Head coach John Harbaugh spoke on the matter and said that if Lewis wants a job within the Ravens organization, he’s more than earned the right to ask for one.
“All of the guys that have played here come back often. Talk to players, and they are always welcome,” Harbaugh said Thursday, via CSN Baltimore.com. “Of course, Ray would be no less than that. We have talked about it. He knows he is always welcome. He has not expressed an interest to coach. I have asked him, and he is not interested. But we have talked about it.”
While Ray returning to the Ravens would be a dream for Ravens fans, it’s not going to happen anytime soon. Lewis has a multi-million deal with ESPN to serve as a studio analyst for the network’s NFL coverage , and to return to football after retiring defeats the entire purpose he retired in the first place. Lewis’ son Ray-Ray III recently committed to Lewis’ alma mater, the University of Miami.
The whole point of Lewis retiring was so he could support his son and help him grow as a football player and as a person. To return to the game as a coach would be no different than if he just hadn’t retired in the first place, as the job of a coach is equally as demanding as that of a player.
It’s a nice idea, and it’s an avenue Lewis might pursue somewhere down the road. But for now, consider Lewis retired and the property of ESPN.