By Jim Gehman, Player Engagement Insider
Like everyone, Marcedes Lewis, a tight end selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft out of UCLA, only had one chance to make a good first impression. Even so, he wouldn’t have needed a second chance anyway.
“We were having the Oklahoma drill, that’s a one-on-one blocking drill where the running back is running behind you,” Lewis said. “After my first Oklahoma drill during training camp, (former running back) Fred Taylor came up to me and said, ‘You keep blocking like that you’re going to be in this league for a long time.’ That never left my mind.”
Taylor wasn’t the only veteran player who was impressed by the rookie. So was tight end Kyle Brady, who was then in his 12th season.
“I remember that Kyle Brady took me under his wing and just kind of showed me the ropes as far as what it was going to take to be a tight end at this level,” Lewis recalled. “There were some questions with me coming out of college about being able to block fulltime at this level and Kyle showed me some techniques, just showed me how a true pro is supposed to do things.
“Fred, on the other hand, he was the guy that really showed me what it was going to take to have a routine and how to take care of my body.”
Now in his 11th season with the Jaguars, Lewis is quietly paying it forward by being a sounding board for his younger teammates.
“I’m not a rah-rah guy. I try to lead by example,” Lewis said. “I think that the guys know they can lean on me because I keep it real with them. I always tell them the truth. I think that’s how you build trust. You earn respect by doing things that way.
“(I emphasize to) just be yourself. Don’t try to be Superman. Be yourself and give your all. And whatever you end up with at the end, you can live with the results because you know that you’ve given your personal best.”
More so than the other teams in the league, Lewis and the Jaguars have the opportunity to give their best on two different continents. For the past four years, they’ve taken part in the NFL International Series by playing a game in London. The Jaguars have committed to continue playing a game in England each year through 2020.
“The experience gets easier because you’ve been there and so you’re a little familiar with where you are,” Lewis said. “But that travel and playing the game there, no matter who you are, it’s going to be tough. It’s a very long flight. Your whole routine changes. How you get ready for a game, how you prepare, everything has to change and it’s all condensed. You have to really have great attention to details and know that you have to be ready to adjust and adapt.
“But I think it’s awesome, just building awareness of our sport and taking it over there. I know there’s a bunch of fans there that love the NFL. They get more familiar with us every year that we go there. I feel like we are their home team. It’s been a good experience.”
Even though Lewis hasn’t experienced as many winning seasons throughout his career as he and Jacksonville’s fans would have hoped for, his confidence hasn’t wavered.
“You’ve got to just keep doing things the right way and believe that things will turn around,” Lewis said. “Don’t ever let your circumstances define who you are as a person. Obviously, I’m speaking for me because I’m the one doing this interview, but, I don’t feel sorry for myself. Self-pity was not manmade. It’s not in the dictionary. Self-pity is something that happens because you feel sorry for yourself and that’s not how I was brought up.”
A Southern California native, Lewis was raised to be considerate and a positive part of the community, which he continues with the Marcedes Lewis Foundation.
“My mom had me when she was 15 years old and we struggled for a really, really long time, but I was always one of those kids that even though I didn’t have a lot, I would always give to the kids in the neighborhood that grew up with me,” Lewis said. “It was just one of those things that came natural to me.
“Now I’ve been on a platform to be able to give back and that’s what I’ve been doing (in the Jacksonville area). I personally help out The Humane Society. I’m always at the Wolfson Children’s Hospital and the Hubbard House for abused women and kids. My mom and I do a lot of things there at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s been good. I’m happy to be there to give.”