Darrol Ray
Encyclopedia
Darrol Anthony Ray is a former American football
player for the New York Jets
of the National Football League
.
. After his father was discharged, the family moved to Texas, where Ray played quarterback
at Killeen High School. He has said that he preferred to play soccer but that the atmosphere in the American South, especially Texas
, was primed for football and so he kept it to himself.
, where he switched to defense and played safety. He was also the punter and handled kickoff duties. He ended his career as an Oklahoma Sooners football as a four-year letterman, two time 1st team All-Big Eight and 2nd team All-American. He played in the Hula, Senior, Orange, and Fiesta Bowls. He was also named to Oklahoma's All-Decade Team.
. He played 5 seasons with them, finishing his career with 21 interceptions, in which he returned for 581 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also recovered five fumbles, returning them for 131 yards and a score. In a 44-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals
in a playoff game after the 1982 season, Ray set an NFL playoff record by returning an interception 98 yards for a touchdown. Chances for appearing in the Super Bowl
were lost when the Jet lost to the Miami Dolphins
two games later in the American Football Conference championship game.
, where he graduated from college. He owned a liquor store for 15 years, which he recently closed to open his restaurant, Ray's Smokehouse BBQ.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player for the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
Early years
Ray spent his early years in Belgium, Germany, and France while his father served in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. After his father was discharged, the family moved to Texas, where Ray played quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
at Killeen High School. He has said that he preferred to play soccer but that the atmosphere in the American South, especially Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, was primed for football and so he kept it to himself.
College career
After high school, Ray went to the University of OklahomaUniversity of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
, where he switched to defense and played safety. He was also the punter and handled kickoff duties. He ended his career as an Oklahoma Sooners football as a four-year letterman, two time 1st team All-Big Eight and 2nd team All-American. He played in the Hula, Senior, Orange, and Fiesta Bowls. He was also named to Oklahoma's All-Decade Team.
Professional career
In 1980, he was drafted by the New York JetsNew York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He played 5 seasons with them, finishing his career with 21 interceptions, in which he returned for 581 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also recovered five fumbles, returning them for 131 yards and a score. In a 44-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
in a playoff game after the 1982 season, Ray set an NFL playoff record by returning an interception 98 yards for a touchdown. Chances for appearing in the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
were lost when the Jet lost to the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
two games later in the American Football Conference championship game.
Post-Football life
Darrol Ray currently lives in Norman, OklahomaNorman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
, where he graduated from college. He owned a liquor store for 15 years, which he recently closed to open his restaurant, Ray's Smokehouse BBQ.