Ray Rhodes facts for kids

Raymond Earl Rhodes (born October 20, 1950) is a former American football player and coach. He played as a wide receiver and cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). Later, he became a head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers.

Ray Rhodes also worked as an assistant coach for several NFL teams. He won five Super Bowl championships as an assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers. In 1995, he was named Coach of the Year by the Associated Press. His last coaching job was as a senior defensive assistant for the Cleveland Browns.

Playing Football

High School Years

Ray Rhodes grew up in Mexia, Texas. He graduated from Mexia High School in 1969. While in high school, he was a talented athlete. He earned "letterman" honors in football, basketball, and track and field. He had transferred to Mexia High School after his second year of high school.

College Football Career

Rhodes started his college football career as a running back at Texas Christian University. He played there for two seasons. After that, he moved to the University of Tulsa. At Tulsa, he played both wide receiver and cornerback.

During his two seasons at Tulsa, he gained 729 rushing yards and 558 receiving yards. He also had 501 kickoff return yards. In 2023, he was honored by being added to the Tulsa Athletic Hall of Fame.

Playing in the NFL

The New York Giants picked Ray Rhodes in the tenth round of the 1974 NFL draft. He was the 236th player chosen overall. For his first three years in the NFL, he played as a wide receiver. Then, he changed his position to cornerback.

In 1979, the Giants traded him to the San Francisco 49ers. He played one season with the 49ers before he stopped playing professional football.

Coaching in the NFL

Assistant Coach Roles

After his playing career, Ray Rhodes stayed with the San Francisco 49ers. He started as an assistant secondary coach and later became the defensive backs coach. He helped the 49ers win four Super Bowls during this time. He coached famous players like Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright, and Dwight Hicks.

After many years with the 49ers, he joined Mike Holmgren as the new defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers. After two years with the Packers, Rhodes returned to San Francisco. He became the defensive coordinator for the 49ers team that won the Super Bowl in 1994.

Later, after his time as a head coach, Rhodes worked as a defensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins and the Denver Broncos. In 2003, he joined Mike Holmgren again, this time as the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. He stayed with the Seahawks until the end of the 2007 season.

In September 2005, Rhodes had a health issue and was hospitalized. In October 2006, the Seahawks' team plane had to make an emergency landing. This was to get medical care for Rhodes while flying home from a game.

In 2008, Ray Rhodes joined the Houston Texans. He worked there as an assistant defensive backs coach. He later served as a defensive assistant for the Cleveland Browns until 2012.

Head Coach Positions

Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach

On February 2, 1995, Ray Rhodes became the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. This was just five days after the 49ers won Super Bowl XXIX. He was the fourth African-American head coach in NFL history. Rhodes was known for his tough approach and unique ways to motivate his players.

In his first season, Rhodes won the NFL Coach of the Year Award. The Eagles started with a 1–3 record but finished strong at 10–6. They made it to the playoffs as a wild card team. In their first playoff game, they played the Detroit Lions. The Eagles won that game with a score of 58–37. Even though the Eagles lost to the Dallas Cowboys the next week, the 1995 season was seen as a big success.

In 1996, the Eagles again finished with a 10–6 record. They made the playoffs as a wild card team. They played against the 49ers, Rhodes's old team. The Eagles lost that game 14–0.

The 1997 season was not as good. The Eagles finished with a 6–9–1 record. They struggled, especially in away games. Many people thought that players were tired of Rhodes's intense coaching style.

The 1998 season was very difficult. The Eagles finished with a 3–13 record, which was a team record for losses. They did not win any away games that season. The team's offense, which had been strong, became the worst in the NFL. They scored very few points. On December 28, 1998, Rhodes was fired as the Eagles' head coach. In his four seasons with the Eagles, his regular season record was 29 wins, 34 losses, and 1 tie. In the playoffs, he had 1 win and 2 losses.

Green Bay Packers Head Coach

After Mike Holmgren left the Green Bay Packers, the team needed a new coach. The Packers' General Manager, Ron Wolf, liked Rhodes's coaching style. On January 11, 1999, Ray Rhodes was hired to coach the Packers. He was the only person interviewed for the job.

Rhodes coached the Packers for only one season. They started well, winning four of their first six games. However, they then lost six of their next nine games. The team finished the season with an 8–8 record. This meant they missed the playoffs for the first time since 1992.

On January 3, 2000, the Packers fired Rhodes. He was replaced by Mike Sherman. Later, Rhodes said he felt the team had set him up to fail. He believed there was too much expectation for the talent on the team.

Head Coaching Record

Personal Life

Ray Rhodes is married to Carmen, and they have four daughters.

While he was coaching in Philadelphia, Rhodes enjoyed his hobby of horse racing. He often appeared on a radio show about horse racing.

In September 2005, Rhodes had a medical incident at his home in Seattle. In 2006, he experienced similar symptoms on a team flight. The plane had to make an emergency landing in South Dakota so he could receive medical care.

Ray Rhodes and his family currently live in San Francisco, California.