Ravens Legend Ray Lewis's Son Diagnosed With CTE

Ray Lewis III passed away last year due to an accidental overdose.

Aug 4, 2018; Canton, OH, USA; Baltimore Ravens former linebacker Ray Lewis during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at Tom Bensen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Ray Lewis III, son of Baltimore Ravens legend Ray Lewis, has been posthumously diagnosed with CTE, the Concussion Legacy Foundation announced in a press release.

Lewis III died from an accidental overdose in June of 2023. According to the CLF press release, his family said he experienced memory issues and bouts of erratic behavior in the years before his death. His mother, Tatyanna McCall, suspected he was battling the disease.

“Little did I know when I put my son in tackle football at age 5, I ran the risk of having to bury him 22 years later,” McCall said in the press release. “I would have done something different now knowing the risks. We need to wait until our babies are at least 14 to allow them to play tackle football. It also breaks my heart that you have to die to get a diagnosis for this disease. Our family is committed to doing whatever we can to help raise funds to further the research so scientists can learn how to definitively diagnose CTE during life.”

CTE, short for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, is a neurodegenartive disease heavily linked to repeated head trauma. A 2023 Boston University study found that odds of developing CTE were closely related to the number and strength of hits to the head football players endure throughout their career, while a 2019 study by the same group found the odds of developing the disease could increase by up to 30 percent with each year of tackle football played.

“We are proud to honor Ray Ray’s legacy by teaching our youth about football safety while sharing and supporting research on CTE,” Lewis said in the press release.

Lewis III played college football at Miami (his father's alma mater), Coastal Carolina and Virginia Union and later played for the Wyoming Mustangs, an indoor football team. He is survived by his father, mother, three brothers and two sisters.

“Stories like Ray Ray Lewis’ remind us why we need to accelerate efforts to prevent and treat CTE,” said Dr. Chris Nowinski, CLF co-founder and CEO. “We thank his family for their dedication to research, education, and making football safer. Through brain donation, grieving football families have shown us how to make the sport safer. Now it is up to us all to act.”

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