Ray Lewis was able to play in the Super Bowl after suffering a torn triceps.
But he couldn’t walk up Mount Kilimanjaro because of an injured foot and a fever.
Perhaps wildebeest antler velvet extract isn’t quite the same.
According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, Lewis had to pull out of the charity climb called TackleKili, which raises money for clean water projects in Africa.
“In the end, Ray’s decision was to let the team move on without him, rather than hold them back or put himself in a position where an injury which requires surgery could become even more complicated,” TackleKili said in a statement. “As always, his team backed his play. So while Ray refocused his service to this cause at a lower altitude, his team began the ascent on behalf of those in desperate need of clean water.”
Lewis stayed back off the mountain in Tanzania, and helped provide hearing aids to children.
“Last night he had a bad night, fevered and really rough,” said Frank Gamble, during a video about the trip. “So, this morning when he woke up, the foot was killing him, years of injuries and all of that. So, we’re going to miss him.
“I just say goodbye to him and told him we love him. He made a significant contribution financially to provide safe water to people. Even though we’re not going to have Ray, we’re going to have plenty of wonderful people.”
The group does include one former NFL player, as former Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris is making the trip.