Ray Seals facts for kids
| No. 98, 97, 99 | |
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| Position: | Defensive end |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | June 17, 1965 Syracuse, New York, U.S. |
| Died: | April 2025 (aged 59) |
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight: | 293 lb (133 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Henninger (Syracuse) |
| Career history | |
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| Player stats at PFR | |
Raymond Bernard Seals (born June 17, 1965 – died April 2025) was an American football player. He played as a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). A defensive end is a player who tries to stop the other team's offense. Raymond Seals was special because he made it to the NFL without going to college. This was very rare for a professional football player.
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Raymond Seals: A Football Journey
Early Life and High School Football
Raymond Seals was born in Syracuse, New York. He played football at Anthony A. Henninger High School in Syracuse. He was a talented player even in high school.
His NFL Career
Raymond Seals started his football journey in a minor league. He played for the Syracuse Express. This team was part of the Empire Football League. In 1989, he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This was his first team in the NFL.
He played for the Buccaneers until 1990. Then, he briefly played for the Detroit Lions and the Indianapolis Colts. He returned to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1991. He stayed with them until 1993.
In 1994, Raymond Seals joined the Pittsburgh Steelers. He became a starting player for them. He played two seasons as their right defensive end. In 1996, he got injured during his third season with the Steelers. He finished his NFL career playing for the Carolina Panthers in 1997.
A Famous Play
Raymond Seals is remembered for a very interesting play. He was playing against a rookie quarterback named Brett Favre. Seals batted away a pass thrown by Favre. But something amazing happened! Favre himself caught his own deflected pass. This became the first completed pass in Brett Favre's long career.
Hall of Fame Recognition
In 1992, Raymond Seals was honored for his football skills. He was inducted into the American Football Association's Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame. This shows how important he was in the world of football.
His Passing
Raymond Seals passed away in April 2025. He was 59 years old.
