Mo Lewis
Encyclopedia
Morris "Mo" C. Lewis is a former American football
player who played linebacker
for the New York Jets
from 1991 until 2003.
, wearing the number 57 in his college and pro career. Lewis, along with former Jets teammate Marvin Jones, signed a one-day contract with the Jets on June 27, 2005. Lewis played 200 games as a Jet, the third longest tenure in franchise history and was one of the most loved team players and captains of his time. He was also a three time Pro Bowler (1998, 1999, 2000), the Jets defensive captain from 1997 to 2003 and was even named to the NFL All-Pro team after the 1998 season.
Lewis delivered the crushing hit on New England Patriots
quarterback
Drew Bledsoe
in week 2 of the 2001 season that caused Bledsoe moderate internal bleeding
. Bledsoe's backup was Tom Brady
, who has since led the New England Patriots to four Super Bowl appearances and has been named Super Bowl MVP
twice.
In 2002, after the signing of long time Buffalo Bills
linebacker Sam Cowart
in the off-season as a free agent, many Jets fans were excited, because the signing of Cowart meant that the Jets would have a linebacker corp of All-Pro Mo Lewis, Marvin Jones, and Cowart. However, this did not turn out to be the story, as the linebacker corp that looked astounding on paper crumbled within a season. After a season together, Jones and Lewis were cut after the 2003 season and would go onto retire after the 2004 season.
Lewis retired after the 2003 season with 1231 tackles (883 solo), 52.5 sacks, 14 interceptions for 241 yards, 79 pass deflections, 29 forced fumbles, 13 fumble recoveries for 74 yards, and 5 defensive touchdowns in 200 career games. He made the Pro Bowl
three times during his career, in 1998,1999 and 2000.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who played linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 1991 until 2003.
Career
He was a star at the University of GeorgiaUniversity of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
, wearing the number 57 in his college and pro career. Lewis, along with former Jets teammate Marvin Jones, signed a one-day contract with the Jets on June 27, 2005. Lewis played 200 games as a Jet, the third longest tenure in franchise history and was one of the most loved team players and captains of his time. He was also a three time Pro Bowler (1998, 1999, 2000), the Jets defensive captain from 1997 to 2003 and was even named to the NFL All-Pro team after the 1998 season.
Lewis delivered the crushing hit on New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Drew Bledsoe
Drew Bledsoe
Drew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise...
in week 2 of the 2001 season that caused Bledsoe moderate internal bleeding
Internal bleeding
Internal bleeding is bleeding occurring inside the body. It can be a serious medical emergency depending on where it occurs , and can potentially cause death and cardiac arrest if proper medical treatment is not received quickly....
. Bledsoe's backup was Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
, who has since led the New England Patriots to four Super Bowl appearances and has been named Super Bowl MVP
Super Bowl MVP
The Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is an award presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's championship game. The winner is chosen by a fan vote during the game and by a panel of 16 American football writers and...
twice.
In 2002, after the signing of long time Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
linebacker Sam Cowart
Sam Cowart
Samuel Cowart, III is a former American football linebacker who primarily played for the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and Minnesota Vikings of the NFL...
in the off-season as a free agent, many Jets fans were excited, because the signing of Cowart meant that the Jets would have a linebacker corp of All-Pro Mo Lewis, Marvin Jones, and Cowart. However, this did not turn out to be the story, as the linebacker corp that looked astounding on paper crumbled within a season. After a season together, Jones and Lewis were cut after the 2003 season and would go onto retire after the 2004 season.
Lewis retired after the 2003 season with 1231 tackles (883 solo), 52.5 sacks, 14 interceptions for 241 yards, 79 pass deflections, 29 forced fumbles, 13 fumble recoveries for 74 yards, and 5 defensive touchdowns in 200 career games. He made the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
three times during his career, in 1998,1999 and 2000.