Mel Gray All-Pro Selections
One of the greatest return specialists of all time, Mel Gray set multiple franchise records with the Detroit Lions.
Melvin Junius Gray (born March 16, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a kick returner in the National Football League (NFL). He played with the New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions, Houston/Tennessee Oilers, and Philadelphia Eagles. He began his professional career for the Los Angeles Express of the United States Football League (USFL), following his college football career as a running back at Purdue.
Lore & Background
Gray is widely considered to be one of the greatest return specialists of all time in the NFL. He holds the record for being the first, second, and third-oldest player to return a kickoff for a touchdown (33 years, 276 days; 33 years, 235 days; and 33 years, 221 days).
Reader's Guide
Gray is the franchise's all-time leader in career kickoff returns (216), career kickoff return yards (5,478), career kickoff returns for touchdowns (5), most kickoff returns for touchdowns in a season (3, 1994), highest kickoff return average in a season (28.36, 1994) and career punt return yards (1,427). His seven total returns for touchdowns (5 kickoff return and 2 punt returns) ranks third all-time in team history. Gray was a four-time Pro Bowl selection in Detroit (1991–93, 1995), and he was named All-Pro by numerous publications in each season from 1990 to 1994.
Did You Know?
- Gray scored the game-winning touchdown in the 1984 USFL divisional playoffs against the Michigan Panthers, breaking his arm on the play in the longest pro football game in history.
- In 1994, Gray returned a 102-yard kickoff for a touchdown against Chicago on October 24, his longest as a Lion.
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