Lewis attended Horizon High School where he was an All-conference and All-city selection in football, baseball and basketball.
He accepted a scholarship from Northern Arizona University, where he became a four-year starter at quarterback (41 straight starts) and a three-time team captain.
The next year, he was named the backup behind John Elway and was seen as the heir apparent to the future hall of famer.
[4] In 1998, he was lost for the season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament while playing a pickup basketball game and made matters worse by hiding how he suffered the injury.
He had a bad preseason, including a game where he threw three interceptions in four attempts,[8] which eventually led to him be released on August 31.