His redshirt freshman year at Ohio State, Lewis appeared in every game whether on defense or playing a small role on special teams. He recorded nine tackles on the season.[2]
For his sophomore season, Lewis broke into the regular rotation and led the team in quarterback sacks with eight and finished second to teammate Joey Bosa in tackles for loss with fourteen. Lewis received a national championship ring as the Buckeyes won their eighth National Championship in the first College Football Playoff in January 2015. For his efforts, Lewis was named Honorable Mention on the 2015 All-Big Ten Conference football team.[2] He played through the season with an injured labrum, which he had injured the previous spring, and had a surgical procedure to repair the muscle the following January.[7][8]
Lewis continued his award-winning ways in 2016, as he racked up 7.5 sacks, sealed a win against Wisconsin, was named a captain, and won multiple accolades while developing into a leader off the field.[9] He was named first-team 2016 All-Big Ten Conference football team and was the Big Ten Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year.[10] In January 2017, Lewis announced that he would skip the 2017 NFL draft and return to OSU for his senior season.[11][12]
On December 18, 2017, it was announced that Lewis had accepted his invitation to play in the 2018 Senior Bowl.[17][18] On January 27, 2018, Lewis recorded four combined tackles and a sack as part of Denver Broncos' head coach Vance Joseph's North team that lost 45–16 to the South.[19]
Lewis attended the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, but was limited to the vertical jump and broad jump due to a bout with the flu.[20][21] On March 22, 2018, Lewis participated at Ohio State's pro day and performed the majority of combine drills, but chose to skip the vertical jump. At the conclusion of the pre-draft process, Lewis was projected to be a third or fourth round pick by the majority of NFL draft experts and scouts.[22][23] He was ranked the ninth best defensive end prospect in the draft by Scouts Inc. and was ranked the 12th best defensive end by DraftScout.com.[24][25]
The Indianapolis Colts selected Lewis in the second round (64th overall) of the 2018 NFL draft.[28] The Colts traded their third (67th overall) and sixth round (178th overall) picks to the Cleveland Browns and drafted Lewis with the second round pick they received in exchange.
On May 11, 2018, the Indianapolis Colts signed Lewis to a four-year, $4.36 million contract that includes a signing bonus of $1.25 million.[29] He was placed on injured reserve on September 3, 2018, with a toe injury.[30] He was activated off injured reserve on November 9, 2018.[31]
On November 1, 2021, Lewis was placed on injured reserve after suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 8.[33]
On March 16, 2022, Lewis signed a one-year, $3 million contract extension with the Colts.[34] He suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in Week 8 and was placed on injured reserve on October 31, 2022.[35]
On March 13, 2023, Lewis re-signed with the Colts.[36] He played in all 17 games in 2023, recording 25 tackles and four sacks;[37] he was also the team's 2023 recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award.[38]
On March 11, 2024, the Colts signed Lewis to a two-year contract extension.[39]
