Ray Bentley facts for kids
| Position: | Linebacker |
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| Personal information | |
| Born: | November 25, 1960 Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight: | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Hudsonville (MI) |
| College: | Central Michigan |
| Undrafted: | 1983 |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season: | 17–21–0 (.447) |
| Postseason: | 0–2–0 (.000) |
| Career: | 17–23–0 (.425) |
Ray Russell Bentley (born on November 25, 1960) is an American who has done many things! He was a professional football player, a sports announcer, and even an author. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). Before turning pro, he played college football for the Central Michigan Chippewas team.
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Ray Bentley's Amazing Career
Playing Professional Football
Ray Bentley started his professional football journey in the United States Football League (USFL). He played for the Michigan Panthers in 1983 and 1984. After that, he joined the Oakland Invaders in 1985.
Later, Ray joined the Buffalo Bills in the National Football League (NFL). He played six seasons with the Bills. This included their first two Super Bowl appearances in the early 1990s. His football career ended with the Cincinnati Bengals in 1992. While with the Bengals, he set a team record. He had the longest fumble return for a touchdown, running 75 yards!
Life as a Broadcaster
After playing football, Ray Bentley became a sports announcer. From 1998 to 2001, he worked for NFL on Fox. He did both color commentary (explaining the game) and play-by-play (describing the action).
Ray then took a break from broadcasting to coach. He became the head coach and general manager for the Arena Football League's Buffalo Destroyers. He held these jobs for two years.
From 2003 to 2006, Ray returned to announcing. He was a color commentator for NBC's Arena Football League coverage. He also started working for ESPN in 2003, continuing as a commentator. In 2007, he went back to the Buffalo Bills. He was a play-by-play announcer for their preseason TV games until 2014. He also helps with the new USFL.
From 2009 to 2016, Ray was a radio personality in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 2012, he coached linebackers for the Grandville Bulldogs high school team. Today, Ray is a defensive coordinator for the Byron Center Bulldogs high school team.
Ray Bentley, the Author
Besides his sports career, Ray Bentley is also an author. He has written a series of children's books. These books are about a fun character named Darby the Dinosaur.
