Ronnell Lewis took the next step toward working his way into the 2014 Lions team calendar.
According to Tim Twentyman of the team’s official website, Lewis made a point to apologize to his teammates and general manager Martin Mayhew for his arrest in April for disturbing the peace and public intoxication.
“I apologized to the team,” Lewis said. “I feel like I embarrassed myself, my family and the guys and the organization. We’ve had a lot of that in the past and I don’t want to be that guy again. I’ve learned from my mistakes and it’s time to pick it up and take on a leadership role.
“The apology was gaining some trust back a little bit. It’s not going to happen overnight. I just want to take one day at a time and hopefully it’ll blow over in the weeks and months to come. Hopefully, my playing ability and my character on the field and off the field will help the situation.”
Now, all he has to do is make the team to try to make things right. Even though the Lions lost Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden Bosch this offseason, they drafted Ziggy Ansah as well as spending a fourth-rounder on Devin Taylor.
“It’s motivation,” Lewis said. “They took two guys. One was highly drafted and one was in the same situation I was in [fourth-round pick] last year.
“In those rounds, players are good and they’re going to have an opportunity to come in and play. It’s going to make me work a lot harder and be more accountable. I’m going to continue working, which is all I can do.”
That, and stay out of bar fights in Oklahoma.