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Jeremy Lewis was a part of the University of Miami’s highly touted 2008 recruiting class out of Palm Beach Lakes High School. Lewis came to Miami as a defensive tackle before switching to the offensive line and played a big role in the guard rotation during his junior and senior seasons. After finishing up his fifth-year senior season last year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Lewis as an undrafted rookie where he was with the team for a portion of minicamp as well as training camp. Despite not sticking with the Bucs, Lewis has not given up his dream.
“My dream is to play in the NFL and right now I’m just staying in shape. I’ve already received feedback from a couple of teams so now I’m just waiting for that phone call so that when I get it, I’ll be ready,” said Lewis.
The former Miami Hurricane has stuck to a routine that he hopes will propel him into the league.
“I’m working out at 7 AM every day and then coming back at 9-9:30 to eat and relax before I go back out to work at like 2 o’clock. It’s going to be the same thing every day before I get that phone call.”
Lewis is grateful for the opportunity Tampa Bay gave him and says it was a learning experience for him.
“I always was mature and picked things up quickly, but I learned about just being in shape. Coach Schiano was a great coach and him and Coach Golden know each other very well and he told me to continue to stay in shape because he would love to bring me back.”
Dating back to his college days, Lewis has been a man of faith. He has been known for posting inspirational messages on social media and those around him look up to him for advice.
“My faith in God is real, man. I came from a rough neighborhood, graduated from high school, then came and graduated from one of the best universities in America so I just need to keep chasing my dream. God knows my desires and needs and the goals I want to achieve so I know his work is there. I just need to grind hard and pray hard because I know God will handle the rest.”
Athletes have different things that drive them to make it and be great, so what is that for Lewis?
“I see my mom living check-to-check every month trying to pay her mortgage and she’s struggling with gas money and I have a daughter that’s 4-years-old. I don’t want my daughter to go through that struggle and my mom just turned 51-years-old and I don’t want her living check-to-check anymore so that’s what motivates me every day.”
There has been a lot of talk over the past few years about the importance that Al Golden places on leadership within the team. Lewis says that was something that he believes helped change the culture surrounding the program.
“We had other guys on the team like Mike James who people looked at as a leader, myself, and Brandon McGee. A lot of guys on the team looked up to me because they seen how my career went and how things started happening for me over my last couple years and how my daughter motivates me and my faith in God. When I told them to do right in the team meeting or something like that, they felt like ‘Oh man, J-Lew must be right because he’s been here for so long’.”
Lewis credits a lot of his success over his past couple seasons at Miami to Golden.
“Coach Golden has a system set up where if you follow the process he had, you will be successful on the field and in the classroom and just become a better person because of it. I can really truly say that Coach Golden helped me change my mindset and the way I approached things walking into that building every day. If Coach Golden never came, I don’t think I would be in the position I am right now with the opportunity to one day play in the NFL.”
Not only did Lewis see the transformation in himself, but he has seen those same forces at work watching the 2013 Miami Hurricanes.
“I watched the Florida game and just watched the USF game. For the young guys, it’s like going into the NFL trying to be a veteran when you’re a rookie instead of going up to a veteran and asking them to teach you the ropes. You had freshman on the field last year trying to come in there being that guy and making mistakes so that’s how I looked at it. Once they saw that things don’t always work when you try to do them your way, I guess it hit them over the summer and now they’re really picking up what the coaches have taught them to do.”
After his playing days are over, the West Palm Beach native wants to be able to give back to the community – young kids in particular.
“When I was growing up, I wasn’t always the best kid and I did a lot of wrong. God blessed me to play this game that I love, so I want to do something in the sense of helping young kids about 13-14 years old and let them know you don’t have to do things to fit in or whatever. There’s nothing wrong with doing right.”
What advice would he give an aspiring youth football player today?
“For one, I hope they believe in God because nothing is given to you. You have to grind hard, pray hard, and respect others. I believe our life was written in stone before it even started so everything will always be there but you have to overcome adversity.”
“My dream is to play in the NFL and right now I’m just staying in shape. I’ve already received feedback from a couple of teams so now I’m just waiting for that phone call so that when I get it, I’ll be ready,” said Lewis.
The former Miami Hurricane has stuck to a routine that he hopes will propel him into the league.
“I’m working out at 7 AM every day and then coming back at 9-9:30 to eat and relax before I go back out to work at like 2 o’clock. It’s going to be the same thing every day before I get that phone call.”
Lewis is grateful for the opportunity Tampa Bay gave him and says it was a learning experience for him.
“I always was mature and picked things up quickly, but I learned about just being in shape. Coach Schiano was a great coach and him and Coach Golden know each other very well and he told me to continue to stay in shape because he would love to bring me back.”
Dating back to his college days, Lewis has been a man of faith. He has been known for posting inspirational messages on social media and those around him look up to him for advice.
“My faith in God is real, man. I came from a rough neighborhood, graduated from high school, then came and graduated from one of the best universities in America so I just need to keep chasing my dream. God knows my desires and needs and the goals I want to achieve so I know his work is there. I just need to grind hard and pray hard because I know God will handle the rest.”
Athletes have different things that drive them to make it and be great, so what is that for Lewis?
“I see my mom living check-to-check every month trying to pay her mortgage and she’s struggling with gas money and I have a daughter that’s 4-years-old. I don’t want my daughter to go through that struggle and my mom just turned 51-years-old and I don’t want her living check-to-check anymore so that’s what motivates me every day.”
There has been a lot of talk over the past few years about the importance that Al Golden places on leadership within the team. Lewis says that was something that he believes helped change the culture surrounding the program.
“We had other guys on the team like Mike James who people looked at as a leader, myself, and Brandon McGee. A lot of guys on the team looked up to me because they seen how my career went and how things started happening for me over my last couple years and how my daughter motivates me and my faith in God. When I told them to do right in the team meeting or something like that, they felt like ‘Oh man, J-Lew must be right because he’s been here for so long’.”
Lewis credits a lot of his success over his past couple seasons at Miami to Golden.
“Coach Golden has a system set up where if you follow the process he had, you will be successful on the field and in the classroom and just become a better person because of it. I can really truly say that Coach Golden helped me change my mindset and the way I approached things walking into that building every day. If Coach Golden never came, I don’t think I would be in the position I am right now with the opportunity to one day play in the NFL.”
Not only did Lewis see the transformation in himself, but he has seen those same forces at work watching the 2013 Miami Hurricanes.
“I watched the Florida game and just watched the USF game. For the young guys, it’s like going into the NFL trying to be a veteran when you’re a rookie instead of going up to a veteran and asking them to teach you the ropes. You had freshman on the field last year trying to come in there being that guy and making mistakes so that’s how I looked at it. Once they saw that things don’t always work when you try to do them your way, I guess it hit them over the summer and now they’re really picking up what the coaches have taught them to do.”
After his playing days are over, the West Palm Beach native wants to be able to give back to the community – young kids in particular.
“When I was growing up, I wasn’t always the best kid and I did a lot of wrong. God blessed me to play this game that I love, so I want to do something in the sense of helping young kids about 13-14 years old and let them know you don’t have to do things to fit in or whatever. There’s nothing wrong with doing right.”
What advice would he give an aspiring youth football player today?
“For one, I hope they believe in God because nothing is given to you. You have to grind hard, pray hard, and respect others. I believe our life was written in stone before it even started so everything will always be there but you have to overcome adversity.”
