Ravens hire now-former Chiefs running backs coach

Lewis spent 2017-22 as an assistant in Kansas City

The Kansas City Chiefs will have a new running backs coach for the 2023 season.

Late Wednesday afternoon, the Baltimore Ravens announced they had hired now-former Chiefs assistant Greg Lewis to become their next wide receivers coach.

Lewis, 43, spent four seasons (2017-2020) as the Chiefs’ wide receivers coach before transitioning to coaching running backs, which he did for the last two seasons (2021-22).

Lewis played under head coach Andy Reid (and now Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh) with the Philadelphia Eagles organization during a span (2003-08) that included the Eagles’ 2004 NFC Championship team.

He leaves Kansas City having guided wide receiver Tyreek Hill to All-Pro seasons in 2018 and 2020. In 2020, Hill tied the franchise record for single-season receiving touchdowns and ranked eighth in the NFL with 1,276 receiving yards. In 2021, Lewis coached running back Darrel Williams to career-highs, including 144 attempts for 588 yards and six touchdowns, as well as 452 receiving yards and two touchdowns. In 2022, Lewis mentored rookie Isiah Pacheco to 960 scrimmage yards and five total touchdowns, and veteran Jerick McKinnon saw a breakout season at age 30 — with 803 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns.

Known in the building as “G-Lew,” Lewis was beloved by Reid, his fellow coaches and players for his humorous manner and drive to win.

“I’m a confident individual,” said Lewis back in mid-December. “As a coach, whatever I’m doing, whatever I’m coaching, whatever’s asked of me to do, it’s about putting in the time and the effort and the work to be successful when you get out on the field…

“We are confident, and we expect to get the job done. As I’ve said before, the standard is the standard, and that’s what we expect to get done. So, it’s not a ‘I want to pat us on the back’ or pat myself on the back, it’s what we do and what we’re supposed to do and I got the guys in that room that will get it done.”