Ray Lewis says Ravens were always his first choice

In his first news conference since re-signing with the Ravens, linebacker Ray Lewis repeatedly said Thursday that Baltimore was always his first choice in free agency.

"My family is Baltimore. My family is the purple. My family is the fans," Lewis said during a half-hour interview session with local reporters. The bottom line: Was there ever a decision for me to leave Baltimore? I don't think so.

"I didn't take a trip. I didn't visit anyone else's facility," Lewis said. "That would have taken away from what I do for my city."

Before Lewis signed his seven-year, $44.5 million contract (which is essentially a three-year, $22 million deal), he talked about his interest in the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets, which irritated some of his fan base.

According to owner Steve Bisciotti, the Ravens offered Lewis a contract "higher than most 33-year-olds ever see" at the end of the season. Lewis wanted to test free agency for the first time in his 13-year career and asked the team to keep the offer on the table.

"He gave us 13 years; we gave him a week," Bisciotti said. "He went out there to see a lot more. No, he really didn't want to leave. But if somebody is going to offer him $10 million more over a three-year contract, I would tell him to go. There was no animosity."

Asked if Lewis would eventually have a statue erected next to the one of Johnny Unitas, Bisciotti smiled and said, "I think there's enough bronze in this world to get two statues done."

(baltimoresun.com)