Ray Lewis stood a few feet away from President Barack Obama and extended an invitation during Wednesday's ceremony at the White House.
"Want to do my dance?" Lewis asked, referencing his famous Squirrel Dance.
The president wouldn't take the bait.
"No, I'm not doing that dance," Obama said with a laugh.
The exchange was one of the several light-hearted moments of the Super Bowl champions' visit to the White House, which brought Lewis back together with his old teammates for the first time since hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
Lewis, who retired this offseason after 17 seasons in the NFL, was front-and-center next to longtime teammate Ed Reed during Obama's presentation.
"Of course you can't think about Baltimore without thinking of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed," Obama said. "These two won't be wearing purple next year. Everyone is going to have to get used to that. It's welcomed news for quarterbacks."
The Ravens are in the midst of adjusting to life without Lewis for the first time in franchise history. He's anchored the middle of the defense for nearly two decades, and is responsible for building the legacy of the Ravens defense.
Obama referred to Lewis' defense as "the pride and joy of Baltimore," and called attention to the fact that the defense stopped the 49ers four times within the 10-yard line to clinch the Super Bowl victory.
Lewis' impact on the franchise – and his signature dance – were so significant that even the President of the United States took notice of the Hall of Fame career.
"Ray retired on top," Obama said.
