Ray Lewis remembers his mother being beaten when considering Ra

This is the second time this week that Lewis has spoken on the Rice situation on ESPN. Lewis was a star for the Ravens and knows the running back well.

On ESPN's "Monday Night Football" pregame show, Lewis said his previous legal situation, in which he pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in connection to a double murder, was not the same as Rice's.

"Me speaking with the owner of the Ravens, Steve Bisciotti, just moments ago," Lewis said, "and just listening to what Steve was saying about the reason why Ray Rice will never play for the Ravens again is because when he saw this video himself, he put anybody that's connected to him that's a female in that position. You have to take a step back when you're an owner and you see that type of evidence that you haven't heard before, haven't seen before.

"One thing Steve made very clear: There is no comparison of me and Ray Rice. It's night and day. It's night and day of anything we've ever been through. And that's why both situations are totally different."

On the Monday night program, Lewis said he planned to speak with Rice.

"Sometimes friends tell you what you want to hear," Lewis said. "Best friends tell you what you need to hear. I told him, 'I will be there to talk to him.' I really want to sit down and know what's going on in his heart and what's next for Ray Rice. I'm not talking about football. I'm talking about as a man. 'Where is your focus right now?' Me and him have been going back and forth via text. I wanted to let him know I'm still encouraged. A lot of fire and darkness are coming at you, but you have to stand still in the midst of this storm. How do you find your way out of this? You humble yourself. You figure out ways to get yourself out of this and you seek counsel. That's why I'm going home to definitely meet with him to be the same mentor I was the first time he walked through the door."




(al.com)