Ray Mathews facts for kids
Mathews on a 1952 Bowman football card
|
|||||
| No. 44, 25 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Halfback, end | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | February 26, 1929 Dayton, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
||||
| Died: | December 20, 2015 (aged 86) Mercer, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 185 lb (84 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | McKeesport Area (McKeesport, Pennsylvania) |
||||
| College: | Clemson | ||||
| NFL Draft: | 1951 / Round: 7 / Pick: 81 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
| As player: | |||||
|
|||||
| As coach: | |||||
|
|||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||
|
|||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||
|
|||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||
Raymond Dyral Mathews (born February 26, 1929 – died December 20, 2015) was a talented American football player. He played as a halfback and end in the National Football League (NFL). Ray Mathews played for two teams: the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys. Before joining the NFL, he played college football at Clemson University.
Contents
Early Life and College Football
Ray Mathews went to McKeesport Area High School. After high school, he attended Clemson University. At Clemson, he was a two-sport athlete, playing both baseball and football.
Playing for the Clemson Tigers
Ray was a starting halfback for the Clemson football team. He played alongside another great player, Fred Cone.
The 1948 Clemson team had an amazing season. They didn't lose any games! They even won the 1949 Gator Bowl, beating the University of Missouri 24-23.
In his final year, Ray was part of another undefeated season. They played in the 1951 Orange Bowl and won a close game against the University of Miami with a score of 15–14. Ray made an impressive catch for one of the touchdowns in that game.
Years later, in 1978, Ray Mathews was honored for his achievements. He was added to the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame.
Professional Football Career
Ray Mathews was a professional football player for many years. He played in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys.
Time with the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers chose Ray Mathews in the seventh round of the 1951 NFL Draft. He was the 81st player picked overall. At first, he was a backup running back to Fran Rogel.
Because Ray was very fast, the Steelers moved him to play as a wide receiver in 1956. He also helped the team by returning kickoffs and punts.
- In 1952, Ray was the Steelers' best rusher, gaining 315 yards.
- He led the team in receiving for three years in a row, from 1954 to 1956.
By the end of his time with the Steelers, Ray had played in 108 games. He caught 230 passes for 3,919 yards and scored 34 touchdowns. He also ran for 1,057 yards and five touchdowns. Ray held team records for the longest catch (78 yards) and scoring the most touchdowns in one game (4). In 2007, he was named to the Pittsburgh Steelers Legends team.
Joining the Dallas Cowboys
In 1960, the Dallas Cowboys picked Ray Mathews in the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft. This meant he was one of the first players for the new Cowboys team. He was even the team captain for their very first game!
He played in 6 games for the Cowboys as a reserve player. While there, he got to play with his old college teammate, Fred Cone, again.
Later Life
After he stopped playing football, Ray Mathews became a coach. He coached high school football for five seasons in Braddock, Pennsylvania. He also worked as an assistant coach for the Washington Redskins and the Calgary Stampeders.
Ray Mathews passed away on December 20, 2015, due to health issues.
