- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,196,284
- Reaction score
- 59
Ray Lewis has never fully bought the official story from Super Bowl XLVII. The Baltimore Ravens legend won the final game of his Hall of Fame career that night, but the game is still remembered for more than Baltimore’s 34-31 win over the San Francisco 49ers. It is remembered for the blackout.
Early in the third quarter, Baltimore looked like it might turn the game into a blowout. Jacoby Jones had just returned the second-half kickoff for a touchdown, giving the Ravens a 28-6 lead. Then the lights went out inside the Superdome, causing a lengthy delay and giving San Francisco time to regroup. The 49ers came storming back after the delay, turning what looked like a Ravens runaway into a one-score game. That is where Lewis’ skepticism comes in.
MORE: Ranking all 16 AFC teams heading into 2026 NFL training camp
Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Ray Lewis hoists the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Lewis has suggested the outage was no accident, questioning how a billion-dollar operation could lose power during the biggest sporting event in America. I also haven’t seen him say he has proof, which is important. This is not evidence of a fixed game. It is a legendary player openly questioning one of the strangest moments in Super Bowl history.
The official explanation was much less dramatic. The blackout was blamed on an electrical issue involving a relay device. But that has never stopped the interwebs from debating what really happened.
That is what makes Lewis’ belief so interesting all these years later. The Ravens won the game, so this is not a losing player searching for an excuse. If anything, Lewis believes the delay hurt Baltimore, killed momentum, and helped the 49ers get back into the game.
Super Bowl XLVII already had everything. The blackout turned it into a conspiracy magnet, and Ray Lewis still does not sound convinced it was just bad wiring.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —
Continue reading...
Early in the third quarter, Baltimore looked like it might turn the game into a blowout. Jacoby Jones had just returned the second-half kickoff for a touchdown, giving the Ravens a 28-6 lead. Then the lights went out inside the Superdome, causing a lengthy delay and giving San Francisco time to regroup. The 49ers came storming back after the delay, turning what looked like a Ravens runaway into a one-score game. That is where Lewis’ skepticism comes in.
MORE: Ranking all 16 AFC teams heading into 2026 NFL training camp
Power Outage Conspiracy
You must be registered for see images
Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Ray Lewis hoists the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Lewis has suggested the outage was no accident, questioning how a billion-dollar operation could lose power during the biggest sporting event in America. I also haven’t seen him say he has proof, which is important. This is not evidence of a fixed game. It is a legendary player openly questioning one of the strangest moments in Super Bowl history.
The official explanation was much less dramatic. The blackout was blamed on an electrical issue involving a relay device. But that has never stopped the interwebs from debating what really happened.
That is what makes Lewis’ belief so interesting all these years later. The Ravens won the game, so this is not a losing player searching for an excuse. If anything, Lewis believes the delay hurt Baltimore, killed momentum, and helped the 49ers get back into the game.
Super Bowl XLVII already had everything. The blackout turned it into a conspiracy magnet, and Ray Lewis still does not sound convinced it was just bad wiring.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —
Continue reading...
