BEREA — Rumors of Jamal Lewis’ demise were greatly exaggerated. In fact, they were dead wrong.
The Baltimore Ravens castoff was a genuine workhorse last year in his first season with the Browns, rushing for 1,304 yards, the fifth-best total in the NFL and the most in Cleveland history by a player not named Jim Brown.
It was quite a statement by a player who prefers to let his actions speak louder than his words.
“I’m old-school pound-and-play,” Lewis proudly said Monday. “Some people may say it’s a throwback style, but this is my type of backfield. I like to get all the carries and get warmed up that way.
“Gaining 1,500 yards is a goal for every running back, but that might be an understatement for me this year with the great offensive line, receivers, tight end, quarterback and fullback we have.”
Comments like that are why Browns fans have such high expectations — and why Cleveland’s players aren’t discouraging anyone from dreaming big.
Lewis, in particular, is so focused on the present that he only took two weeks off after his outstanding 2007 season. The 5-foot-11 fitness freak invited a number of players to train with him in his native Atlanta, but few were dedicated enough to accept the offer.
Browns teammates Andra Davis, Jerome Harrison and David McMillan were among those who did, as were Pittsburgh Steelers Hines Ward and Deshea Townsend.
The star student, however, turned out to be their teacher, who had just been rewarded with a three-year contract by Cleveland.
“Jamal is obsessed,” offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski said. “I argue he has one of the toughest offseason workout routines. He’s hungry to show people he’s not an old man and he’s still got a lot of juice left.”
Davis echoed those thoughts, saying: “He works non-stop all day. He signed a new deal and even worked harder. You can really see why he’s had the success he’s had.”
Lewis’ daily regimen included time on the treadmill and in the weight room, as well as sprinting through a 60-yard long sand pit that he paid to put in at a nearby high school. The workouts helped him drop 11 pounds, putting him at a rock-solid and pro-career-low 237 entering training camp.
“I feel like I have a lot of time to take vacations down the road,” said Lewis, who turns 29 on Aug. 26. “For now, though, it’s all about pushing my body and aggressively training.
“I felt like I needed to get down (weight-wise) a little bit for my quickness. I also wanted more explosion and better cuts, which is what the sand pit is for. I’ve been doing this for nine years now, and I plan on doing it for a while longer.”
Should the University of Tennessee product be able to play into his 30s, he will wind up in rare air in NFL history. Lewis ranks 26th all-time with 9,105 rushing yards, putting him 1,345 shy of the top 20 and 3,139 away from 10th place.
When asked what reaching 10,000 career yards this season would signify to him, he wasted no time replying.
“That’s means I’ve got about 8,000 more to go,” Lewis said, alluding to Emmitt Smith’s league record of 18,355. “I want to establish my name long after I’m gone because (the Hall of Fame) is what everyone is playing for.
“There’s no better place to do that than here because it’s where Jim Brown played. To be on a team with the tradition and the legacy he established — and having him out here all the time inspiring me — means so much.”
Leading that franchise to its first world title in 44 years, however, would be even more satisfying.
“I’m playing for big numbers and a championship,” he said. “Last season was great, and I knew it would be. This year should be even better.”
Contact Brian Dulik at sports@ohio.net.

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