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Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis will miss the remainder of the season with an arm injury, an enormous blow to an already depleted defense that has uncharacteristically struggled this year.
Lewis tore his right triceps during Sunday's 31-29 victory over Dallas. The 37-year-old Lewis leads Baltimore in tackles and is the voice of experience in the huddle.
"Ray in the locker room afterward, we didn't know (the extent of the injury) but he was worried about it," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Monday. "He said some things about his faith. He said some things that I'll never forget."
Over a spectacular 17-year career, Lewis has been invited to 13 Pro Bowls, was named Super Bowl MVP and is a two-time NFL defensive player of the year. He turns 38 in May, so it's possible that Sunday's game was his last.
"That's for Ray to speak on," Harbaugh said.
Baltimore also lost cornerback Lardarius Webb for the year after he tore the ACL in his left knee Sunday. The injury occurred when Webb collided with Dallas wide receiver Dez Bryant in the first quarter.
Neither Lewis nor Webb spoke after Sunday's game and both were unavailable for comment on Monday.
Bounty fight goes on
If the New Orleans Saints decide Jonathan Vilma is ready, the embattled linebacker will take the field in Tampa Bay on Sunday for the first time this season. It might also be the last time, depending on how things go at NFL headquarters and in federal court.
On Monday, Vilma again asked a federal judge to overturn his recently re-issued suspension in the NFL's bounty probe of the Saints, and the NFL Players Association made a similar request on behalf of three other players.