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The Ravens open the season this Thursday in Denver, where they will take on the Denver Broncos. They will have one thing missing that hasn't been missing for the last seventeen years. That thing is The Original Raven, Ray Lewis.
The former Ravens' LB and future Hall-of-Famer retired at the end of last season, after the Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII; Lewis' second Super Bowl victory. Shortly after Lewis retired, he announced that he will be a member of ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown team. He will begin that job next Sunday, the day that the rest of the NFL opens their seasons. But, before he starts his new job, an old friend wants him to join the Ravens in going to Denver on their season opener.
Running back Ray Rice has attempted to lure Ray Lewis to go to Denver. In a text message to Lewis, Rice says:
"You might have to make the trip."
In a comment about the text, Rice said:
"I think the guys, if he's not going to be working, would embrace seeing him on the sidelines. Not sure how he'll take it. He'll probably want to suit up a little bit. I told him that it would be good to see him because no matter what, everybody is always going to look up to [him]." Rice continues, "I hope he comes out there. It would be good to see him show up. That's your brother. That's your comrade. We've fought many battles together. My locker was right next to his. I got to dust off his cleats a little bit. It would be good to see him if he could make it out there, but I'm sure he'll be there in spirit with us."
Ray Lewis was Rice's mentor for the five years that he has been in Baltimore. Rice even asked Ray Lewis if he could come out of the tunnel and dance with him in last year's postseason game against the Colts, since it would be his last squirrel dance in Baltimore. The two men had one of the best relationships on the Ravens, and it is no surprise that Rice wants to see Lewis when the Ravens open the season against the Broncos on Thursday.
If Ray Lewis were to travel to Denver with the Ravens, it would help give them an emotional boost to win their sixth straight season opener in the John Harbaugh Era (undefeated.)