Michael Lewis (NFL receiver)

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Michael Lewis
Date of birth November 14, 1971 (age 35)
Place of birth Flag of United States New Orleans, Louisiana
Position(s) Wide receiver, Kick returner
College None
Pro Bowls 2002
Statistics
Team(s)
2001
2001-"Present"
Rhein Fire
New Orleans Saints

Michael Lee "Beer Man" Lewis (born November 14, 1971 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American football wide receiver and kick returner.

Lewis was the feature return specialist for the New Orleans Saints from 2002 until September 19, 2005 during a game against the New York Giants at the Meadowlands, where he injured his MCL and was put on injured reserve for the rest of the season. He returned to playing for the Saints a year later on October 29, 2006 during a home game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Lewis graduated from Grace King High School in Metairie. He was a former Budweiser beer truck driver (thus, the nickname "Beer Man") who never went to college, and waded through the various semi-professional football leagues and the Arena Football League and, finally, was added to the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad in 2000 before being cut there. When the Eagles cut him, the New Orleans Saints gave him a chance by signing him and sending him over to play for the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe.

He is currently the Saints' all-time career leader in punt returns (142) and punt return yardage (1,482). He also set an NFL record in 2002 for combined kick-punt return yardage with 2,432 yards total (1,807 kickoff, 625 punt). In 2003, he also played a role in the River City Relay as one of the receivers that would lateral a touchdown in a last second effort to win the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars (which the Saints lost) now known as the River City Relay.