The Most Focused Athletes of All Time

RAY LEWIS

In a 2007 Men’s Fitness article, the then-Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan said Ray Lewis was the hardest working NFL player he’d ever seen. Lewis is still one of the most feared linebackers despite his 36 years of age in a league where turning 30 often marks the beginning of the end for even the most effective players, especially if they have one of the high-contact jobs, and Lewis pretty clearly has one of those.

He’s been able to do it through adhering to a very strict workout regimen and an optimal diet, putting in 8-10 hours of exercise a day regardless of whether his team is practicing or not. Lewis entered the NFL in 1996, won the Super Bowl MVP Award in January 2001 and has made it to the Pro Bowl 13 times, including last season. Several sportswriters lamented the fact that Lewis may have missed his last shot at a championship after the Ravens lost to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game in January due to a short field goal that sailed wide in the final seconds. However, Lewis was still an integral part of that Ravens team, and it seems he’ll still be one of the league’s best for another couple years if he decides to continue playing.