Marcedes Lewis Wraps up 19th NFL Season on Sunday

UCLA legendary tight end Marcedes Lewis continues to be football's iron man as he approaches his 41st birthday.

Oct 1, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears tight end Marcedes Lewis (84) makes a catch against the Denver Broncos during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images / Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

Sometimes age is simply just a number and for the "youthful" 40-year-old Marcedes Lewis, capping off his 19th and potentially final season in the NFL would be simply another notch in the collar for the Bruin Hall of Famer.

The world was a different place in 2006. The iPhone had yet to be invented, the word transfer had a forbidden connotation to it in college football, Karl Dorrell was the head coach at UCLA and Lewis, coming off of winning the John Mackey award and being named and consensus All-American, would be drafted in the first round of that year's NFL Draft.

Fast forward to now, Lewis is a father, mentor and shining example of how to be a pro's pro. There's a lot of things that need to happen in order to play football at 40 years old and while health plays a factor, it is Lewis' maturity, desire and approach to football that keeps his number in the phones of general managers across the NFL.

As his career progressed, so did his role within the offense. No longer a pass catching threat, Lewis' ability to dictate his will on the line of scrimmage has made him an effective run blocker for the Packers and Bears in recent years.

It's Lewis' inherent selfless nature that has made him such a popular guy in football for the past two decades. Lewis was always one to sacrifice for others, having been a pillar for his family while his mother struggled with being a single parent. Lewis is credited with being a helping figure for his siblings early on in his life and after his family unit found stability via his father figure, those some selfless traits became prevalent throughout his journey in football.

Lewis' struggles as a child led him to creating the Marcedes Lewis Foundation, an organization whose mission is to provide opportunities for kids through sports, potentially leading to opportunities for educational advancement at the collegiate level.

While Lewis has sparsely played in 2024 and his future remains unknown, it's still incredible that a man who played in 2006 may be taking snaps in 2025. However as incredible as that it, it hails in comparison to the type of man and teammate Lewis has been his entire life.

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