Michael Lewis (wide receiver) facts for kids
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Lewis in 2021
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| New Orleans Saints | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Team ambassador | ||||||||||
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| Born: | November 14, 1971 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 173 lb (78 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Grace King (Metairie, Louisiana) | ||||||||||
| College: | None | ||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2000 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
| Player stats at ArenaFan.com | |||||||||||
Michael Lee Lewis (born November 14, 1971) is a former American football player. He is now a team ambassador for the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League (NFL). Michael was known for playing as a wide receiver and a return specialist. In 2002, he was named a first-team All-Pro and chosen for the Pro Bowl because of his amazing returns.
Michael Lewis did not go to college football. He started his professional career in 1998 with the Louisiana Bayou Beast. He also played for other teams like the New Orleans Thunder, New Jersey Red Dogs, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers, and New Orleans VooDoo.
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Early Life and Choices
Michael Lewis finished high school at Grace King High School in Metairie, Louisiana in 1990. Even though he was a talented athlete, he only played football during his first year. He stopped playing to help his family because they were having money problems. He got a job to support them.
During his last year of high school, Michael became a father. He decided to focus on taking care of his new child instead of playing football or going to college.
Michael's Football Journey
Starting His Career
Before becoming a professional football player, Michael Lewis worked as a truck driver for Budweiser beer. This is how he got his famous nickname, "Beer Man." His truck route was very close to the Superdome stadium.
When he was in his early 20s, a friend told Michael about an amateur flag football league. He tried out and was incredibly successful. This made Michael want to chase his dream of playing pro football. He played in many different semi-professional and indoor football leagues. He put up impressive stats, which helped him get invited to NFL training camps.
Time with the Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles signed Michael Lewis in 2000 before the regular season started. However, he was released from the team before the season began.
Playing for the Saints
After leaving the Eagles, Michael Lewis went back to his hometown to deliver beer. But then, the New Orleans Saints signed him at the end of the 2000 NFL season. The Saints then sent him to play for the Rhein Fire in NFL Europe in 2001.
From 2002 until September 2005, Michael was the Saints' main return specialist. During a game against the New York Giants, he hurt his MCL (a knee ligament). This injury meant he couldn't play for the rest of that season. He returned to play for the Saints in October 2006.
In 2002, Michael Lewis set an NFL record! He had 2,432 combined kick and punt return yards. This was the most in the league that year. He also led the league in punt return yards and kickoff return yards. He is still the Saints' all-time leader in punt returns (142) and punt return yards (1,482).
In December 2003, he was part of a famous play called the River City Relay. In this play, Saints players passed the ball backward multiple times to score a touchdown at the very last second against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Even though the Saints lost that game, the River City Relay won an ESPY award for NFL Play of the Year.
The Saints released Michael Lewis in June 2007.
Joining the 49ers
On September 25, 2007, the San Francisco 49ers signed Michael Lewis. They wanted him to handle their punt returns.
With the New Orleans VooDoo
Michael Lewis signed a contract with the New Orleans VooDoo on October 10, 2008. This was an Arena Football League team. However, the team's owner decided to stop operations just a few days later, so Michael didn't get to play for them.
Life After Playing Football
After his playing career, Michael Lewis became a "Team Ambassador" for the Saints. Even though he wasn't playing anymore, he received a Super Bowl ring when the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV in 2010. This was to honor his continued role with the team.
In 2015, Michael Lewis was chosen for the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame. In 2019, it was announced that a movie about his life, called "The Beer Man," was being made.
Awards and Honors
- New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame (2015)
- 2002 Pro Bowl selection
- First-team All-Pro (2002)
- NFL Alumni Special Teams Player of the Year (2002)
