Sep 23, 2018; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens hall of fame linebacker Ray Lewis performs his pregame dance prior to a game against the Denver Broncos at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

Former NFL linebacker Ray Lewis appeared on The Rich Eisen Show earlier this week and the two-time Super Bowl champion shared a story involving Peyton Manning’s wife that changed his career.

Lewis says that during a Pro Bowl event one year, Manning’s wife Ashley told him that her husband studies film on him all the time in order to stay prepared since the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens would play one another often. After that, Lewis was inspired to build a film room in his house in order to make sure he was studying Manning just as hard.

 

“His wife was so cool. She’s amazing. She was like, ‘He studies you – all day, every day.’ I was like, ‘Wow, I need to change my game.’ So I started studying him more…So I built an entire room in my house – just so I could watch film.” Lewis said. “So I became a guy who wanted to know everything.”

Lewis says that the way he prepared for games and studied quarterbacks was the difference-maker for himself when it came to succeeding against quarterbacks like Manning and Tom Brady.

“When you get to play those chess matches against Brady and Peyton, it’s the smallest things ever that’ll decide the wins and losses,” Lewis said.

The Hall-0f-Famer also said that he thinks that’s strong study habits that lead to an understanding of what quarterbacks are doing are what’s missing from NFL defenses today.

“That’s what you see missing from the defensive side of the game,” said Lewis. The defensive side of the game now is, look (pause), react.”

“Mine was: look, destroy, or intercept it. Or knock it down. Not catch it and then you make the tackle.”

[Rich Eisen Show]

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Editorial Strategy Director for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.