The Deeper Meaning Of Brotherhood To Cornell Football

ITHACA, N.Y. — Neither Jeremiah Lewis nor Ben Sahakian needed to look very far for a role model growing up. They each lived with one. 

Jeremiah had Paul, and Ben had Micah. In different ways, the younger brothers took after their older brothers and shared the dream of playing Division I football with each other. Both sets made that a reality at Cornell University. 

Jeremiah, a sophomore defensive back, and Ben, a sophomore linebacker, joined their brothers on the Big Red last season. Paul, arguably Cornell’s top defensive player, and Micah, a three-year starter on the offensive line, will be honored at part of Senior Day before Cornell faces Columbia this Saturday, making this season finale more bittersweet. 

“You look at everyone on the team as a brother, and then there’s an added edge of having your brother on the team,” Ben Sahakian said. “It’s a different standard. You hold everyone on the team to a high standard, and then there’s a brotherly standard. We know each other better than anyone else. …We know when someone is giving their all and when someone is not.”

He added, making himself and Micah chuckle in the process, “It’s a blessing, but it can be annoying sometimes.” 

The Lewis brothers have that same connection and know when and how to push one another. Jeremiah believes it sets an example for the rest of the team. 

“They see how we interact with each other,” he said. “They can try to interact with others like that and push (their teammates).”

Of course, none of this changes off the field. Perhaps that’s where the bonds only grow stronger. 

“If he (Ben) had a bad day,  I am going to tell him. He’s not going to take offense to that. We know what we are capable of,” Micah said. “We think similarly. It’s nice to have someone who you know won’t hold you to your lowest standard.”

Paul added, “If you see us outside of football, we’re always together. Having that brotherhood — having a little brother — shows what a team should be.”

All four of them have done their part to show their teammates that. 

“You can’t get better love than two brothers,” Micah said.

The Cornell football team has two sets of brothers: Paul and Jeremiah Lewis and Ben and Micah Sahakian.