Ray Lewis Retiring at the End of the Season, Reactions: Twitter Explodes with Comments from Fans, Sports Luminaries

One of the greatest--and most controversial--players of the current NFL era will hang up his cleats for good after this season.

Ray Lewis, a member of the Baltimore Ravens for 17 seasons whose decorated career includes Baltimore's only championship and multiple Pro Bowl appearances, announced today that he will be retiring after the playoffs.

Currently, the Ravens, who qualified for the postseason, are scheduled to face the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday in the Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs.

''Everything that starts has an end,'' the 37-year-old Lewis said. ''For me, today, I told my team that this will be my last ride.''

 A fiery leader who was well known for his passionate pre-game speeches, Lewis has been the standard bearer in defense in the NFL ever since he was drafted to the Ravens in 1996, where he has remained his entire career.

In a career spanning three decades, Lewis was the MVP of Super Bowl XXXV, which the Ravens won in a rout over the New York Giants, and notched a record 13 Pro Bowl selections for an inside/middle linebacker, as well as two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards, seven First Team All-Pro selectons, and is the only linebacker in NFL history to record at least 40 sacks and 30 interceptions in his career.

For his career, Lewis has notched 1,336 tackles, 41.5 sacks and 31 interceptions.

Lewis, who led the transformation of Baltimore from a weak expansion franchise into one of the most feared defenses in the game for years, says he is retiring to spend more time with his family.

While celebrated on the field, Lewis has also been the subject of controversy off the field, particularly in 2000, when he was allegedly involved in a double-murder in Atlanta during the weekend of the Super Bowl. Lewis made a deal in which he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor chargers and testified against two other defendants involved in the homicide in exchange for avoiding murder charges.

In a statement delivered to the media on Wednesday, Lewis, who said he has talked with the team, felt that "God was calling."

"I may be gone now. But I ain't gone forever. I'm just going in another phase of life. I think my fans, I think my city, they deserve it. They deserve that whenever this road stops, for me not just to walk away and be like, 'I'm done.' I think we all get to enjoy what Sunday will feel like knowing that this will be the last time 52 plays in a uniform in Ravens' stadium," Lewis said.

On Twitter, fans and sports figures were buzzing about the news, with many paying homage to one of the greatest NFL defensive players of all time.

NFL great Deion Sanders tweeted, "If Ray Lewis is contemplating retirement Look out because this memory of possibly his last game will be epic. NFL put a MIC on him Now!Truth."

NFL running back legend Barry Sanders wrote, "I'd like to take a moment to honor a great career and player in@raylewis a worthy opponent."

 "NFL won't be quite the same without Ray Lewis. Nobody ever prepared and played harder, longer or inspired his team better than this man," tweeted ESPN analyst Skip Bayless.

 "I def have to come to BMORE now. Gotta see Ray Lewis go out on a great note. And hope that the Bengals ball out so we host the AFC Champ gm," commented NFL star Adam "Pac Man" Jones.

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley wrote, "Ray Lewis = greatest Raven of all time. Can't wait to see that dance Sunday!"

Michelle Beisner, who works for the NFL Network: "I think like most, I knew this day would come, the news of @raylewisretiring after the season, but it still seems odd and a little shocking."

Former Giant and Super Bowl 42 champion Antonio Pierce: "All the RESPECT in the WORLD for RAY LEWIS #52 .. Always made you and your team step their GAME up when you played against R.Lewis."

Among fans, both praise and heckling was found for Lewis.

Football fan Oliver Willis wrote, "ray lewis retiring from the nfl, will devote himself full time to being an accessory to murder"

Fan Josh Yohe tweeted, "Ray Lewis is no saint. But you'd have loved him if he wore black and gold. Steelers-Ravens won't be the same."

 "Ray Lewis retiring??? There goes my favorite defensive player ever :(" tweeted fan Daniel Swindle:

Michael Biggs, another football fan, commented, "ray lewis plays with so much heart, determination and strength! cant complain if the ravens win the superbowl! no player deserves it more."