Peyton Manning’s Study Habits Inspired Ray Lewis To Renovate His Home

When Ray Lewis learned that Peyton Manning watched a lot of film, Lewis attempted to match his opponent's will to win and devised a blueprint to change both his home and his game. Inspired by an offhanded comment from Manning’s wife, Ashley, Lewis decided to build a film room in his home so that he too could continue to compete with the very best.

As Lewis tells it, the plan was hatched at the 1998 Pro Bowl during a conversation with Mrs. Manning.

“She’s like, ‘He studies you. All day, every day,’” Lewis said of Ashley discussing Manning’s at-home habits, per The Rich Eisen Show. “And I’m like, ‘Really? Wow.’ So I need to change my game.”

It was at that Pro Bowl that the lightbulb went off for Lewis. He had come to the realization that Manning didn't just study film at the team's facility. Manning regularly brought his work home with him. Success followed.

“So I started studying him,” Lewis told host Rich Eisen in reference to Manning. “…So I built an entire room in my house – just so I could watch film.”

Though he didn’t specifically say it, Lewis insinuated that few defenders today share the same study habits that he and Manning had throughout their Hall of Fame careers.

“That’s what you see missing from the defensive side of the game. …The defensive side of the game now is, look (pause), react.”

Lewis then added, “Mine was: look, destroy, or intercept it. Or knock it down. Not catch it and then you make the tackle.”

Pretty obvious if you watch the film. Right, Ashley?

 

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