College football and NFL fans have rallied behind Ray Lewis in recent days after reports emerged that Lewis was being considered for a vacant head coaching position at Florida Atlantic University.
Earlier in the week, popular ESPN analyst Adam Schefter reported the possibility of Lewis taking over the FAU football program after a poor start to the season. However, recent reports by trusted CBS college football reporter Matt Zenitz have shed some doubt.
Fans Believe Ray Lewis Is the Right Man for the Job
In a recent social media post, Zenitz stated how “there’s been no direct communication between Lewis and the school at this point and it’s highly unlikely that FAU ends up hiring him as head coach.”
Re: Ray Lewis and FAU:
There’s been no direct communication between Lewis and the school at this point and it’s highly unlikely that FAU ends up hiring him as head coach, sources tell @CBSSports/@247Sports https://t.co/qOetA1iLiU pic.twitter.com/96izlS8Q82
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) November 20, 2024
Since the reports and rumors began traveling online, many fans have drawn comparisons between Lewis’ potential arrival in Boca Raton, Florida, and Deion Sanders’ noteworthy move to Boulder, Colorado.
Both members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, there is a belief among fans that should Lewis get the job, his impact would have a similar positive effect for the school and football program.
Another suggested that the team bring in Lewis and add another Ravens legend in Ed Reed as his defensive coordinator.
Ray Lewis head coach and Ed Reed DC
— Terps Recruiting (@TerpRecruiting) November 20, 2024
While others suggested he skip the college level and go directly to the Ravens, “If Ray wants to be coach come be the DC of Baltimore.”
Are the Deion Sanders and Ray Lewis Comparisons Fair?
As is clear, many football fans believe Lewis is the right person to help and change the culture and fortunes of FAU. While there is no doubting his knowledge of the sport and his passion for the game, there are some differences between the paths Sanders and Lewis have taken since their NFL careers ended.
Prior to coaching the Colorado Buffaloes, Coach Prime had experience coaching and having success with the Jackson State Tigers football program. However, as Adam Wells notes, “Lewis has no previous coaching experience.”
While this is not to say that Lewis would struggle with the role, it does highlight how the transformation at FAU may look slightly different than the Colorado one did under Sanders’ leadership.
With nothing officially confirmed one way or the other, football fans will need to wait and see whether Lewis is indeed hired as head coach of Florida Atlantic University. However, one thing is clear, fans want to see Lewis back in football soon and believe schools will be making a mistake in overlooking him.