Ray Lewis was the best defensive player in the history of football, all positions, all eras, period. He played 3 seasons at UM starting as a true frosh. I appreciate how good Morgan was as a Lb at UM and it’s really hard to compare these guys at that level (what’s to nitpick?). But to contend that the best defensive player ever wasn’t the best LB at UM, it’s a bit weird, IMO. No disrespect to Morgan, he was amazing. Ray Lewis was a pro bowler in 1997, btw.
Can we add vilma and spence for balance?
Didn't Dan Morgan set the Super Bowl record for tackles in a game? Dude was a monster in the NFL, but his career was cut really short.
I’m a huge morgan man, but not sure it helps the discussion to debate nfl credentials against ray lewis.
That’s 3 of us
What year did you graduate? 01 here.
I am not saying he had a better NFL career, as that would be stupid. I am saying that you don't set a Super Bowl and post-season tackle record unless you are **** good. Dude had 45 total tackles in one post season. When he was healthy, which he rarely was in the NFL, he was a machine. Had he not had the concussion issues, who knows how his career turns out.
‘91... I’m officially old AF I think.
I'll never say anything negative about Morgan. He was great. And I haven't said anything about someone being better than him because of the NFL. That said, I believe Ray Lewis was the single best defensive player in the history of the sport. That's not some ticky-tack NFL stat comment. I'm talking No. 1. My view. I can't reconcile that with someone being better than him at UM. But I understand why people say Morgan.
Hard to argue your point... Ray was on a way different level in the pro game and had longevity to match... But to me Lawrence Taylor will always be #1..... The game of Football got flipped upside down when Lawrence hit...
I know everyone decided to write the story that way on LT, but I disagree. If anything, Buddy Ryan had a bigger influence on the change in the game than LT (and sports is always evolving - the idea that LT changed it all is the kind of thing movie producers say, but it doesn't actually make sense). Ask OL coaches whether Bruce Smith or Reggie White played a role in the change in LTs. But LT was in New York, had the Theisman hit, and no doubt was great, and got the media credit. He wasn't anywhere near the leader Ray Lewis was, and was more of a rook or bishop as a chess piece than a queen. Amazing but narrowly applied. Lewis controlled the whole D, back and front, left and right. Watched them both for their whole careers and think it wasn't close. Also, the Baltimore 2000 D was the single best D ever, statistically and to my eyes (and watched every '85 Bears game, close second).
You have your opinion ... Cool.
Definitely!! not only one of Miami’s greatest players but one of the greatest ever!!!! He played hurt a lot.
I look at it this way. Chad Henne had a better career at Michigan than Tom Brady. It can happen that one guy has a better college career, but the other goes on and has a much better NFL career. Talent, coaching, injuries, and countless other variables come into play.
If we're discussing who had a better college career, it's an easy discussion. Morgan stayed longer, played on a better team, and was more decorated. But that isn't what we were discussing. The question is who was better at UM. That's a different question. And it's ridiculous (my view) to contend this is at all like some Tom Brady situation. That's not a useful analogy at all. Ray Lewis was an unbelievable LB from the minute he walked on the field as a true frosh. He left UM with the single season tackle record, which Morgan broke by a bit as a senior. I don't think stats tell the whole story in any instance, but I'm not sure folks have fully appreciated how great Lewis was at UM, because of the time he played here.