Ray Guy

Lore & Background

Ray Guy was a first-team All-American selection in 1972 as a senior for the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. He is the only pure punter ever to be drafted in the first round of the NFL draft, when the Raiders selected him with the 23rd overall pick in the 1973 NFL draft. He won three Super Bowls with the Raiders. Guy was elected to both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014. An eight-time All-Pro, he became the first pure punter to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

In Their Own Story

The crowd roared as Ray Guy stepped onto the grass, his long hair flowing beneath his helmet. With the Falcons' defense needing every inch of field position to stop a driving drive, Guy took the snap. He planted his left foot, swung his leg with practiced grace, and launched the ball high into the stratosphere. It hung there, seemingly suspended in time, before dropping perfectly on the one-yard line, sealing the game with a masterclass in field control.

Reader's Guide

Ray Guy played his entire professional career with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders from 1973 to 1986. He was selected to seven Pro Bowl teams, including six in a row from 1973 to 1978. He was named as the punter on the NFL's 75th and 100th anniversary teams. His trademark was kicking punts that stayed in the air for long periods of time. In his 14-year career, he punted 1,049 times for 44,493 yards, averaging 42.4 yards per punt, with a 33.8 net yards average. He led the NFL in gross yards per punt three times.

Did You Know?

• Ray Guy once kicked a then-NCAA record 61-yard field goal in a snowstorm during a game in Utah.
• In 1972, he kicked a 93-yard punt in a game against the University of Mississippi.
• Guy was also a starting safety at Southern Miss and set a single-season school record with eight interceptions during his senior season.
• He was the first punter enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and as of 2024, is still the only player at his position in the Hall.