8:02 pm | August 4, 2018 | Go to Source | Author:
CANTON, Ohio — Ray Lewis didn’t need a podium or a script.
In an unprecedented move, Lewis used a wireless mic and became the first person in Pro Football Hall of Fame history to roam the stage, giving a passionate 33 minute, 17 second speech that called on everyone to take a leadership role and make the country better.
“We need people that are willing to step up and take action,” Lewis said while looking at his fellow Hall of Fame players. “We can go from being legends to building a legacy bigger than football, bigger than sports.”
Wearing a purple tie and purple pants, the usually verbose Lewis flailed his arms while gripping a black towel in a wide-ranging speech that was the longest of the night but fell three minutes short of Brett Favre’s record.
In front of a enshrinement ceremony record crowd of 22,205, he talked about overcoming a triceps injury in his final season after the team doctor told him no one had ever come back from it. He brought up his suspicions about how the lights went out in the Superdome during the Ravens’ Super Bowl against the 49ers. He even called up fellow Raven Hall of Fame player Jonathan Ogden from the crowd and they performed Lewis’ signature pre-game dance on the stage together.
Lewis briefly touched upon his ordeal in 1999, when he plead guilty to a misdemeanor obstruction of justice charge in a double murder case in Atlanta.
“[The years of] 1999 to 2001 may have been some of the darkest moments of my life,” Lewis said. “But I’ll tell you something. When God says, ‘Can you hear me?’ He sent you a family to make sure you’re OK while you’re going through what you’re going through.”
Lewis was among a seven-member Class of 2018 inducted that included linebacker Brian Urlacher, wide receiver Randy Moss, safety Brian Dawkins, linebacker Robert Brazile, guard Jerry Kramer and general manager Bobby Beathard. Wide receiver Terrell Owens declined to attend the ceremony, choosing to speak in Chattanooga, Tennessee, earlier in the day.
One of the most emotional moments of the night came when Dawkins revealed he suffered from depression during his rookie season in the NFL. The nine-time Pro Bowl safety used the greatest moment of his career to speak out on mental health issues.
“I wasn’t just suffering through suicidal thoughts. I was actually planning the way I would kill myself so my wife would get the money,” said Dawkins while holding back tears. “What that pain did for me, it increased my faith exponentially. I have grown leaps and bounds because of the things I’ve gone thrown. When I say I went through, that means I came on the other side of it. So for those are going through it right now, you too have hope. There is something on other side of this.”
Urlacher wanted to clear up the misconception that he came from privilege. He recounted pushing a lawnmower at age 12 and working in the oil fields in Lovington, New Mexico, as well as the lumber yard in Albuquerque.
When talking about his football career, the five-time All-Pro linebacker put his legacy in perspective.
“The most coveted position in pro football for a defensive player is to play middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears,” Urlacher said. Just think about it, the history of this position is unmatched by any team: Bill George, Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary and now I can barely say it, me.”
Kramer, a six-time All-NFL guard for the Packers, had the longest wait of any member in the class. He reached the Hall in his 45th year of eligibility.
His speech included numerous stories about Vince Lombardi and the advice the legendary coach imparted.
“After the game is over, the stadium lights are out and your back in the quiet of your room with the championship ring on your dresser, the only thing left is lead a life of quality and excellence,” the 82-year-old Kramer said. “You can if you will.”
The ceremony opened with Brazile, a seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker for the Houston Oilers. He drew laughs with his story about stealing his father’s electrical tape to put No. 51 on his t-shirt so he could emulate Dick Butkus.
In ending his speech, Brazile said, “When the Hall of Fame knocked on my door, all of my dreams came true. After all these years, I am home.”
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