Advocate staff photo by SCOTT THRELKELD — New Orleans Saints cornerback Keenan Lewis (28) is injured on the play as he breaks up a pass intended for San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis (85) during the second quarter Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Arguably the greatest shutdown cornerback in NFL history on Tuesday admitted there’s maybe one thing he couldn’t have done: play through the left knee injury Keenan Lewis did in New Orleans’ 27-24 overtime defeat at home to the 49ers on Sunday.
“It looked horrible, and I don’t know any corner that would’ve played like that,” Deion Sanders said in a tweet to the Saints’ Lewis. “#Probowl man! Get healthy & finish strong.”
Lewis was on his 32nd snap of Sunday’s game when he was hurt defending a deep pass late in the second quarter. The pass fell incomplete, and Lewis crumpled to the ground after colliding with 49ers tight end Vernon Davis.
The Saints then ruled Lewis out with a knee injury. But the Saints’ leader in passes defensed as well as interceptions returned for nine snaps in the second half despite being in obvious pain, breaking up a third-down pass on one play; and afterwards he showed a small group of reporters that his knee was grotesquely swollen.
Teammates and social media users lauded Lewis’ gutsiness after the game ended. Then, an associate of Lewis’ snapped a photo of the swollen knee and circulated the image on social media; and the Saints cornerback’s toughness virtually became a trending topic on Twitter.
It appears the photo eventually reached the attention of Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, a two-time Super Bowl champion, a six-time First Team All-Pro, and the scorer of the NFL’s second-most non-offensive touchdowns (19). And Sanders had nothing but love for Lewis.
“are u OK my man?” Sanders — now an analyst for the NFL Network — first tweeted at Lewis on Tuesday. “I’m praying for u. #Truth.”
Lewis replied, “I’m going to be okay. Thanks for everything, love ya man.”
Sanders’ tweet saying he didn’t know anyone who would’ve played through the injury Lewis did followed. Lewis then retweeted that remark from Sanders.
Gingerly moving around, Lewis spoke with reporters at his team’s headquarters on Monday and expressed optimism he’d be able to play in for the Saints (4-5) in their next game, against the Bengals (5-3-1) in New Orleans at noon on Sunday.
“I’ll be ready,” Lewis said. “I’m just getting ready for the Bengals.”