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Florida Atlantic refutes ESPN report that Ray Lewis is head coach candidate

Contrary to earlier reports, Florida Atlantic says it is not considering Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis as a candidate for its vacant head football coach job.

A source within the FAU sports department told The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Network, that the school has no plans to interview Lewis after firing Tom Herman on Monday after two seasons and a 6-16 record.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported early Wednesday that Lewis was considered a legitimate candidate.

Ray Lewis stands on the field before the game between the Ravens and theRaiders at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Sept. 15, 2024.
Ray Lewis stands on the field before the game between the Ravens and theRaiders at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Sept. 15, 2024.

The Owls have lost five in a row and are 0-6 in the American Athletic Conference this season. Chad Lunsford, who previously coached the team's tight ends, is the interim head coach for FAU's final two games against Charlotte and Tulsa. It is unknown if Lunsford, who coached at Georgia Southern from 2017-2021, is a candidate for the job.

Lewis, 49, played at the Miami (Fla.) before spending 17 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, winning two Super Bowls, a Super Bowl MVP award, two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards, and being named a first-team All-Pro seven times. After his playing career, Lewis became an NFL analyst for ESPN and FOX.

None of the previous five head coaches at FAU lasted more than three seasons, and only one of them, Lane Kiffin, left on their own. Kiffin left the school in 2019 to become the head coach at Ole Miss.

(This story was updated with new details and information.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ray Lewis not being considered for Florida Atlantic head coach

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