Ray Rhodes facts for kids

Raymond "Ray" Earl Rhodes (born October 20, 1950) is a former American football player and coach. He played as a wide receiver and cornerback for the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers. Later, he became a head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League (NFL).

Ray Rhodes also worked as an assistant coach for many 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 in his first season leading the Eagles. His last coaching job was as a senior defensive assistant for the Cleveland Browns.

Playing Career

High School Years

Ray Rhodes grew up in Mexia, Texas. He finished Mexia High School in 1969. While there, he was a talented athlete, playing football, basketball, and track and field. He had moved to Mexia High after his second year at Dunbar High School.

College Years

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

Playing in the NFL

The New York Giants picked Ray Rhodes in 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, he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers. He played one season with the 49ers before he stopped playing professionally.

Coaching Career

NFL Coaching Roles

Assistant Coach Roles

After his playing career, Ray Rhodes stayed with the 49ers. He started as an assistant coach for the secondary (defensive backs). Later, he became the main defensive backs coach. He helped the 49ers win four Super Bowls. He coached famous players like Ronnie Lott and Eric Wright.

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

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

In September 2005, Ray Rhodes had a health issue. He was taken to the hospital for dizziness. Tests showed he had a mild medical event. In October 2006, the Seahawks' plane had to land early. This was to get medical care for Rhodes during a flight. On January 28, 2008, he joined the Houston Texans. He worked there as an assistant defensive backs coach.

Head Coach Roles

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 direct coaching style. He also had 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 10–6. They made it to the playoffs as a wild card team. In the first playoff game, the Eagles played the Detroit Lions. The Eagles won easily with a score of 58–37. Rhodes famously said that the only things guaranteed in life are "death and taxes." Even though the Eagles lost the next game, the 1995 season was a big success.

In 1996, the Eagles again finished with a 10–6 record. They started strong but struggled later in the season. They reached the playoffs as a wild card team again. This time, they played against the 49ers, Rhodes's old team. The Eagles lost 14–0 in a rainy game.

The 1997 season was not as good. The Eagles finished with a 6–9–1 record. They did not win any road games that year. Some people thought players were tired of Rhodes's intense coaching style.

The 1998 season was very difficult. The Eagles finished with a 3–13 record. This was the most losses for the team in a season. They did not win any road games again. The team's offense struggled a lot. On December 28, Rhodes was fired as the Eagles' head coach. He had a regular season record of 29 wins, 34 losses, and 1 tie with the Eagles.

Green Bay Packers Head Coach

The Green Bay Packers needed a new coach after Mike Holmgren left. 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. But then they lost to Holmgren's Seahawks. This started a tough period where they lost six of nine games. Rhodes faced a lot of criticism during the season. One game against the Carolina Panthers was especially talked about. The Packers lost after the Panthers scored in the final seconds.

The Packers finished the season with an 8–8 record. This was their only non-winning season between 1992 and 2004. They missed the playoffs that year. On January 3, 2000, Rhodes was fired by the Packers. He was replaced by Mike Sherman. Later, Rhodes said he felt the team's talent was not as good as expected.

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 favorite hobby: horse racing. He even appeared on a radio show about horse racing.

In September 2005, Rhodes had a medical event at his home. During the 2006 season, he had similar symptoms on a team flight. The plane made an emergency landing so he could get medical care. Rhodes and his family now live in San Francisco, California.