After nearly a decade in the National Football League, Dion Lewis is calling it a career.

Lewis announced his retirement from football late last week, after spending the 2020 season with the New York Giants. Lewis was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 5th round of the 2011 NFL Draft, and after seeing action in just 24 games over his first four NFL seasons, caught on with the New England Patriots in 2015. He over a thousand yards combined in his three seasons with New England, and was a member of the team that came from behind to beat the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI.

All told, Lewis played for the Eagles, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, Patriots, Tennessee Titans and Giants from 2011 to 2020, and made the Capital Region proud in the process.

Here are five of his greatest career moments.

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1. Breakthrough Game in 1st Career Start

Super Bowl LII - Philadelphia Eagles v New England Patriots
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Per ESPN's Mike Reiss, Lewis played 46 of 61 snaps at the running back position, filling in for the injured LeGarrette Blount. In his first regular season game since 2012, Lewis ripped off 120 yards from scrimmage, cementing himself as a regular in New England.


2. Setting a Postseason Record

Divisional Round - Tennessee Titans v New England Patriots
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Also per ESPN's Mike Reiss...

Patriots running back Dion Lewis became the first player in NFL history to score rushing, receiving and kickoff return touchdowns in a playoff game. - Mike Reiss

That performance helped the Patriots beat the Houston Texans, and set up our next moment.


3. The Super Bowl Comeback

Super Bowl LI - New England Patriots v Atlanta Falcons
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The score was 28-3. Need I say more?

(The NFL won't less me post a video of the comeback, so go look it up. It was epic.)


4. Leading the Pats in 2017

Los Angeles Rams v New England Patriots
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Lewis used his performance in the 2016 playoffs as a springboard into the Patriots' starting position in 2017. He rushed for 896 yards, over 500 yards more than the next closest player on the team. He led the team with six rushing scores, leading the charge for a Pats' team that returned to the Super Bowl that season.


5. A Career-Defining Contract

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Ca-ching!

Lewis signed a four year, $20 million contract with the Tennessee Titans on the heels of his performance with the New England Patriots. Unfortunately, Derrick Henry joined the Titans around that same time, but Lewis was still an effective rusher with Tennesse and New York as his career continued.


Congrats on an incredible career, Dion!

(You're welcome to join us in-studio anytime!)

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