Dion Lewis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Dion Lewis

Lewis with the Tennessee Titans in 2019
Albany Great Danes
Position:	Assistant running backs coach
Personal information
Born:	(1990-09-27) September 27, 1990 (age 34) Albany, New York, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight:	195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school:	Blair Academy (Blairstown, New Jersey)
College:	Pittsburgh (2009–2010)
NFL Draft:	2011 / Round: 5 / Pick: 149
Career history
As player:
Philadelphia Eagles (2011–2012) Cleveland Browns (2013) Indianapolis Colts (2014) New England Patriots (2015–2017) Tennessee Titans (2018–2019) New York Giants (2020)
As coach:
Albany (2023–present) Assistant running backs coach
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (LI) Second-team All-American (2009) Big East Rookie of the Year (2009) Big East Offensive Player of the Year (2009)
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 2,425 Rushing average: 4.3 Receptions: 191 Receiving yards: 1,408 Return yards: 1,845 Total touchdowns: 21
Player stats at PFR

Dion John Lewis (born September 27, 1990) is an American football coach and former running back. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons.

Dion played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers. In 2009, he was named a second-team All-American. The Philadelphia Eagles picked him in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL draft. Today, Lewis is the assistant running backs coach for the University of Albany.

After two seasons with the Eagles, Lewis also played for the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts. He didn't play in any games for those teams. He then spent three seasons with the New England Patriots. With the Patriots, he won Super Bowl LI in 2017 against the Atlanta Falcons. Lewis later played for the Tennessee Titans for two seasons. His final season was with the New York Giants.

Dion Lewis's Early Life and High School Football

Dion Lewis grew up in Albany, New York. He went to Albany High School. Later, he transferred to the Albany Academy and then to Blair Academy.

At Blair Academy, Dion helped his team win many games. In his last two seasons, they won 17 games and lost only one. They also won two MAPL championships and a New Jersey Prep state title. As a junior, he ran for 979 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. He averaged 12.4 yards every time he carried the ball. In his senior year, he was even better. He ran for 1,243 yards and averaged an amazing 14.1 yards per carry. He scored 26 touchdowns in total that year. Dion also played track & field in high school.

College Football Career

Dion Lewis played college football for the University of Pittsburgh from 2009 to 2010. Not many schools offered him a scholarship, only Miami of Ohio and Tulane besides Pittsburgh.

Amazing Freshman Year in 2009

In his first year, the 2009 season, Dion Lewis was incredible. He ran for 1,640 yards and scored 17 touchdowns in 12 games. In one game against Rutgers, he ran for 180 yards and two touchdowns. This earned him the Big East Conference Offensive Player of the Week award. He was even mentioned as a possible Heisman Trophy candidate.

Lewis broke a record at Pittsburgh for the most carries in a single game. He ran the ball 47 times against the University of Cincinnati. He gained 194 yards and scored three touchdowns in that game.

He was recognized as one of the best players in the country. He was the only freshman among 15 "Players to Watch" for the 2009 Walter Camp Award. He was also a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award and the Doak Walker Award. Many sports websites named him a "Midseason All-American."

Dion Lewis set a new Big East freshman rushing record. He was third in the nation for rushing yards with 1,799. He also broke other records for freshmen at Pitt. After the 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl, where he ran for many yards, he was named the game's MVP.

After the season, Lewis was named the National Freshman of the Year by Sporting News and CBSSports.com. He was also named the Big East Conference Rookie of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year. He was the only freshman to be named to the first or second AP All-American team.

Lewis in college

2010 Season and Turning Professional

Before the 2010 season, many expected Dion Lewis to be a top player. Sporting News called him "the game's most complete runner." They even listed him as a top candidate for the Heisman Trophy.

However, the 2010 season was a bit tougher for Lewis. He had some injuries and shared playing time with teammate Ray Graham. Still, he had some great games. In the last regular season game against Cincinnati, he ran for 261 yards and scored four touchdowns. He also had 105 yards and a touchdown in Pitt's BBVA Compass Bowl victory.

In early January 2011, Lewis decided to enter the 2011 NFL draft. This meant he would leave college early.

College Statistics Overview

Here's a quick look at Dion Lewis's college stats:

Dion Lewis's NFL Journey

Dion Lewis was picked by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL draft. He was the 19th running back chosen that year.

Starting with the Philadelphia Eagles (2011–2012)

On July 27, 2011, Lewis signed a four-year contract with the Eagles. In his first year, he mostly returned kicks. He was behind other running backs like LeSean McCoy. He didn't get many chances to run the ball until the last game of the season. In that game, he ran for 58 yards and scored his first NFL touchdown.

In 2012, his role was similar. He was still mainly a kick returner. He scored one rushing touchdown that season.

Time with the Browns and Colts (2013–2014)

In 2013, Lewis was traded to the Cleveland Browns. But he missed the whole season because of a broken leg. The Browns released him in 2014. He then signed with the Indianapolis Colts but was released a week later. He didn't play in any games during the 2014 season.

Success with the New England Patriots (2015–2017)

On December 31, 2014, the New England Patriots signed Dion Lewis. After two years of not playing, he finally got back on the field in September 2015. He had a great start, gaining 120 yards in his first game.

In October 2015, after only three games, Lewis signed a new two-year contract with the Patriots. He continued to play well, scoring touchdowns by running and catching the ball. However, his 2015 season ended early when he tore a ligament in his knee. He finished the season with 234 rushing yards and two touchdowns, plus 388 receiving yards and two more touchdowns.

Winning the Super Bowl in 2016

Lewis started the 2016 season on a special list for injured players. He needed a second knee surgery. He returned to play in November 2016.

In the playoffs, Lewis made history. In a game against the Houston Texans, he became the first player in the Super Bowl era to score touchdowns by running, catching, and returning a kickoff in the same playoff game! On February 5, 2017, Lewis and the Patriots won Super Bowl LI. They made an amazing comeback, winning 34–28 in overtime after being far behind. This was the first Super Bowl to go into overtime.

Big Year in 2017

In 2017, Lewis became a key player for the Patriots. He started as a backup but soon became the main runner. He also returned kicks. In a game against the Denver Broncos, he scored a touchdown and had a 103-yard kickoff return for another touchdown! This earned him a special award for his play.

He had a career-high 112 rushing yards against the Miami Dolphins. Later, against the Buffalo Bills, he ran for a new career-high of 129 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns. This was his first time scoring two rushing touchdowns in one game. He played in all 16 regular season games that year, which was a first for him.

In the playoffs, Lewis was the Patriots' top rusher. He helped them reach Super Bowl LII. In that Super Bowl, the Patriots lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Lewis in 2017

Playing for the Tennessee Titans (2018–2019)

On March 15, 2018, Lewis signed a four-year contract with the Tennessee Titans. Many thought he would be a big part of their offense because he was good at catching passes.

2018 Season with the Titans

In his first game with the Titans, Lewis ran for 75 yards and a touchdown. He also caught five passes for 35 yards. He had another strong game against the Los Angeles Chargers, running for 91 yards and catching six passes for 64 yards. He was a leading player in a win against the Dallas Cowboys, rushing for 62 yards and catching a touchdown pass. As the season went on, another running back, Derrick Henry, started to play more, and Lewis's role became smaller.

Lewis in 2018

2019 Season with the Titans

In 2019, Dion Lewis continued to have a smaller role as Derrick Henry became the main running back. He scored his only touchdown of the year on a pass from Ryan Tannehill. He started one game when Henry was injured, running for 68 yards.

On March 12, 2020, the Titans released Lewis.

Final Season with the New York Giants (2020)

On April 1, 2020, Lewis signed with the New York Giants. He was a backup to Saquon Barkley. When Barkley got injured, Lewis shared carries with other running backs. He played in all 16 games that season. He ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns, and also caught a touchdown pass. He also returned kicks.

Retirement from the NFL

On August 13, 2021, Dion Lewis announced that he was retiring from the NFL after playing for 10 seasons.

NFL Career Statistics Overview

Here's a summary of Dion Lewis's NFL career statistics:

Regular season

Postseason

Coaching Career

In 2023, Dion Lewis joined the coaching staff at Albany. He is now the assistant running backs coach for the team.