BALTIMORE — It's the talk of the town and one of the coolest things coming out of Baltimore. Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis will be taking the stage and joining the cast of the 28th season of Dancing with the Stars.

Let's be clear, this Baltimore legend wants everyone to know that he is more than excited and is ready to take on the challenge.

"I thought about doing Dancing with the Stars many years ago, but my body wasn't there, I played too long," said Lewis. "Now that I am fully healthy I love the challenge. I love the challenge of learning different dances and I want to learn how to salsa, I want to learn how to cha-cha and jive and all those different sorts of things."

At the grand-opening of his partnered restaurant in Baltimore's Little Italy neighborhood, Lewis didn't shy away from the fact that just moments before, he was introduced to his partner for the season, Cheryl Burke.

"I'm really excited about that. She was teaching me a little cha-cha see I was trying to work it," Lewis said while breaking out into a brief cha-cha move.

Lewis believes Cheryl's unique abilities is taking talent and catering it to them. He knows she has worked with athlete's before and with his confident demeanor, it will come as no surprise if he took on the competition with his football game mentality.

"It's all footwork and this dance thing is all footwork so I think it's going to be so good and it's going to be so refreshing."

Get a kick at this! Lewis says he might even end a few of his competition moves with his signature touch down swirl.

"I was showing Cheryl that and she got it pretty good!"

He also has his head in the game with some pointers from Season 3 winner and former NFL player Emmitt Smith.

"What it really speaks to is that don't ever get comfortable in your comfort zone. It's easy for me to go in the weight room or ride the bike but what's really good is like I get to learn a skill that I could have for the rest of my life," said Lewis.

Let's see if his moves can back up the talking. You can catch the new season of Dancing with the Stars on Monday, September 16 at 8/7c only on ABC.

