Baltimore Ravens legend Ray Lewis is regarded as one of the greatest defensive players in league history. However, fellow 2018 NFL Hall of Fame finalist Kevin Mawae does not even feel he is the best middle linebacker in this class.

According to ESPN's Jamison Hensley, Mawae feels Chicago Bears legend Brian Urlacher was better than Lewis:

“To me, Ray was all over the place — an athletic guy, but he was not a downhill hitter,” Mawae told Talk of Fame Network. “He’s not taking on offensive linemen. He was a jump-around guy. Brian Urlacher, sideline to sideline … could do it all … just like Ray. But he was more of a physical player in the box against offensive linemen, and that’s just the way I view it.”

Mawae's comments are surprising, to say the least. Lewis is one of the most decorated players of all-time. He was a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year en route to 13 Pro Bowl appearances and seven first-team All-Pro selections in his 17-year career. On top of being a stellar player, he is also known as an extraordinary leader.

Meanwhile, Urlacher was certainly no slouch. He was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 before being selected to eight Pro Bowls and four first-team All-Pro honors. Needless to say, it is not the first time the debate between Lewis and Urlacher has been waged, as both were considered the gold standard for their position throughout the 2000s.

Mawae's opinion certainly carries plenty of weight considering his career as an elite center in the NFL, making eight Pro Bowls while been named as a First Team All-Pro seven times with the Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets, and Tennessee Titans. Given his position, he got to see firsthand how truly great each player was.