By Peter King

Pro Football Writers of America

NEW ORLEANS — Linebacker Ray Lewis, drafted in the first round in the history of the new Baltimore Ravens in 1996 and retiring after Sunday’s Super Bowl against San Francisco, walked off the practice field for the last time Friday as the Ravens concluded full-scale workouts at the New Orleans Saints’ practice facility.

The Ravens will have a short walk-through Saturday, but players don’t even break a sweat in those sessions. This was it after 17 seasons of practices for Lewis, who seemed somber and serious for much of the practice, as he has all week. There were little reminders of the last practice for Lewis. As he always does on Friday, running back Ray Rice, mentored by Lewis since being drafted by the Ravens in 2008, wore Lewis’ number 52 and at one pointed shouted to Lewis and pointed to the number on his jersey. The Ravens play music at most practice sessions, and the first two songs played at the practice session were Lewis favorites: “Spiritual,’’ a gospel number by Donald Lawrence and Company, and “Hot in Herre’’ by Nelly, the song the Ravens blared when Lewis was introduced at home games.

Lewis wore number 1 without a name on the back, a Friday game-week tradition dating back to 2001. When the 65-minute practice ended, Lewis walked off the Saints’ grass field onto a team bus, talking with tackle Bryant McKinnie all the way. Outward signs of emotion by Lewis if he was feeling any? None. The game could also be the last one for 36-year-old center Matt Birk, whose plans for 2013 are unclear, and the last one in Baltimore for free-agent-to-be Ed Reed, but many eyes on the sidelines were fixed on Lewis.