NFL Rumors: Is Baltimore Ravens LB Ray Lewis’ career over?

The Baltimore Ravens were able to hold on to a slim victory over the visiting Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, but the victory didn’t come without a high price. CB Lardarius Webb excited the game, and it was confirmed this afternoon that he will miss the remainder of the season with an ACL injury. DT Haloti Ngata also suffered a knee injury, a torn MCL, but he is likely to play this coming Sunday against the Houston Texans. Perhaps the largest injury was the torn triceps injury sustained by veteran defensive leader LB Ray Lewis.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh announced that Lewis and Webb will miss the remainder of the season due to their injuries, but you have to wonder if Ray Lewis has taken the field for the last time in his career. If Lewis does not return to the field, it will be a shame to end his Hall of Fame career on such a note.

Lewis has been the heart and soul of the Ravens defense since he joined the Ravens team in 1996, 17 seasons ago. Lewis was still effective at this late point in his career, but Ravens observers would have to admit that he has lost a step in the last few seasons. The Ravens defense has not been the fierce firewall it’s been to opposing teams in recent years as well this season. Baltimore currently ranks 23rd against the pass and 26th against the run, very uncharacteristic to what NFL fans have grown accustomed to over the last several years.

Lewis, a certain first ballot Hall of Famer when he decides to hang it up, will turn 38 next May. Lewis is signed with the Ravens through the 2016 season, but at $5.4 million for next season, one has to wonder whether or not the team will seek to move in another direction.

There is no doubt that Ray Lewis has put his heart and soul into playing for the Baltimore Ravens, but after suffering such a debilitating injury and given his age, you have to speculate that he might have taken the field for the last time in his career.

Lewis might tell reporters over the next week that he plans on coming back next season, bigger, stronger and faster, but the reality is that he might not be in the Ravens plans after suffering a torn triceps.