The Florida Atlantic football program has a Hall-of-Famer in Ray Lewis, potentially coming to Boca Raton to be its next head coach, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. It appears he's following the Deion Sanders method when he went to Colorado football and became their next head coach.

Florida Atlantic parted ways with former head coach Tom Herman on Monday. In two seasons, Herman underperformed and had a winless record in AAC play this season. Luckily for them, Lewis brings an exceptional résumé.

As a two-time Super Bowl Champion and Super Bowl MVP, Lewis has no coaching experience. However, he has appeared as an analyst on both ESPN and Fox since his retirement. Also, his son, Rahsaan Lewis, played at FAU for the 2019 season as a wide receiver. If FAU hires Lewis, it can bring in a slew of players in the transfer portal or some who are thinking about transferring.

Could Ray Lewis spark change within the Florida Atlantic football program?

It's tough to say, mostly because he hasn't been a head coach before. With Sanders, he coached at Jackson State and led them to two 10+ win seasons. In the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Sanders led them to two Celebration Bowls, where his teams lost. Not to mention, he flipped the No. 1 recruit in the country, Travis Hunter, to Jackson State, after previously committing to Florida State football.

Article Continues Below
More NCAA Football News
Tennessee wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. (1) is tackled by Kentucky during a game between Tennessee and Kentucky at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024
Tennessee land explosive ATH with unreal 100m speedLorenzo J Reyna ·
Clemson running back Gideon Davidson (9) takes a handoff from quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) during Spring Practice in Clemson, S.C. Monday, March 24, 2025.
Clemson boosts defense with huge 4-star recruiting win over rival MiamiLorenzo J Reyna ·
Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) runs with the ball during the second half against Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Gi'Bran Payne (3) at Caesars Superdome.
Georgia hits new 2026 recruiting claim after landing No. 1 DLLorenzo J Reyna ·
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables walks off the field after the Armed Forces Bowl football game between he University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Navy Midshipmen at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024. Navy won 21-20.
Oklahoma beats out Deion Sanders, Colorado for 4-starLorenzo J Reyna ·
Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer (10) throws during the Crimson Combine at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
Oklahoma football’s John Mateer takes extreme measure to prepare for first season with SoonersPreston Byers ·
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel during the Orange & White spring game in Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee football laps SEC rivals on recruiting scene with pair of key commitmentsBenjamin Adducchio ·

Matt Zenits of CBS and 247 Sports reported that “There’s been no direct communication between Lewis and the school at this point and it’s highly unlikely that FAU ends up hiring him as head coach.” Although that outcome could happen, bringing in someone like Lewis could be the spark that the AAC program needs to compete.

In order for that to happen, they, or any FBS program would likely want him to be a head coach first. Before Sanders got his first major conference opportunity, he coached at Jackson State. While he was extremely successful, he also had players wanting to play for him.

The same scenario could happen with Lewis if he becomes a head coach for Florida Atlantic football. Past and present generations respect and admire Lewis's passion, work ethic, and drive to be great. If Lewis were to be a head coach, it's likely he'll need some experience first. Although FAU isn't in a major conference, the AAC still has quality teams like Army football and Tulane football. Lewis's name might be out of the running, but it's a great first step for the Hall-of-Famer.