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Ray Lewis: Crime Will Increase If NFL Season Canceled

BALTIMORE (ESPN 1300) -- Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis is sharing his thoughts about a lost NFL season. He told ESPN if the season is canceled, expect an increase in crime. 

"Do this research if we don't have a season -- watch how much evil, which we call crime, watch how much crime picks up, if you take away our game," Lewis told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio.

That's because, Lewis said, the NFL lockout affects "way more than us," meaning the owners and players.

"There's too many people that live through us, people live through us," he said. "Yeah, walk in the streets, the way I walk the streets, and I'm not talking about the people you see all the time."

Lewis told ESPN he thought crime would increase because "there's nothing else to do." 

A 2-1 decision last week by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals kept the lockout in place pending a full appeal. A hearing is scheduled for June 3 in St. Louis.

Lewis hasn't attended any of the mediation sessions between the owners and players and hasn't gone to court for any of the legal proceedings -- but that might change.

"I'm not opposed to it," he said.

He also told ESPN he has texted NFL Players Association leader DeMaurice Smith.

Click here to read the entire ESPN article.

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