For his first Sunday NFL Countdown interview assignment, Ray Lewis welcomes former Ravens coordinator, current Jets head coach Rex Ryan

Two-time Super Bowl champion turned ESPN analyst Ray Lewis ranks as one of the top linebackers in NFL history. His ascension to first ballot Hall of Fame status during his 17 NFL seasons is a credit to Lewis’ own work ethic and to the coaches who guided him along the way.

Few of those coaches were as instrumental to his success as Rex Ryan, his former defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens. This week, Lewis and Ryan reunited as the current New York Jets head coach sat for a one-on-one conversation – Lewis’ first interview assignment as a member of ESPN’s award-winning Sunday NFL Countdown.

Co-produced by Michael O’Connor and Susan Frentz, the conversation will air around 12:20 p.m. ET during ESPN’s three-hour pregame show on Sunday, Oct. 20 (starts at 10 a.m.).

In the interview, Ryan candidly discusses a range of topics including the impact he hopes to leave on his players, his biggest regrets as a coach, the difference between his coaching styles in Baltimore versus with the New York Jets, and how he intends to stop quarterback Tom Brady and the Patriots’ offense in their second meeting of the season on Sunday.

“Ray is a natural as an interviewer,” said ESPN feature producer O’Connor. “He used his years of experience as the interview subject and his relationship with his former coach to draw insight from Rex Ryan that only Ray could inspire.”

In addition to appearing on this weekend’s Sunday NFL Countdown, Lewis will join Trent Dilfer, Steve Young and Suzy Kolber on Monday Night Countdown (6:30 p.m.) from MetLife Stadium on Monday, Oct. 21, in advance of the Minnesota Vikings-New York Giants game.