Rayfield Wright facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Rayfield Wright

In Hall of Fame jacket in 2006
No. 85, 67, 70
Position:	Offensive tackle
Personal information
Born:	(1945-08-23)August 23, 1945 Griffin, Georgia, U.S.
Died:	April 7, 2022(2022-04-07) (aged 76) Willow Park, Texas, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight:	270 lb (122 kg)
Career information
High school:	Griffin (GA) Fairmont
College:	Fort Valley State
NFL Draft:	1967 / Round: 7 / Pick: 182
Career history
Dallas Cowboys (1967–1979) Philadelphia Eagles (1980)*
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
2× Super Bowl champion (VI, XII) 3× First-team All-Pro (1971–1973) 3× Second-team All-Pro (1974–1976) 6× Pro Bowl (1971–1976) NFL 1970s All-Decade Team Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor
Career NFL statistics
Games played: 166 Fumble recoveries: 4 Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Larry Rayfield Wright (born August 23, 1945 – died April 7, 2022) was an American football player. He played as an offensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. He was known as the "Big Cat" because he was very quick on his feet.

Rayfield Wright was a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, joining in 2006. He played in five NFC Championship games, which led to the Super Bowl. His team, the Cowboys, won the Super Bowl twice. He also played in the famous "Ice Bowl" game in 1967, which was an NFL championship game.

Growing Up and College Years

Rayfield Wright was born and grew up in Griffin, Georgia. His mother, Opel Wright, raised him. He went to Fairmont High School. He was good at basketball in high school. However, he could not make the high school football team at first.

Wright then went to Fort Valley State College. He played college basketball there and was a star player. The football coach, Stan Lomax, saw his talent. He convinced Wright to join the college football team. Coach Lomax tried Wright in different positions. He played as a free safety, punter, defensive end, and tight end. Coach Lomax was like a father figure to him.

Rayfield Wright was also a Boy Scout. He learned the poem The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost when he was young. He later said this poem helped him make important choices in his life.

Playing in the NFL

The Dallas Cowboys picked Rayfield Wright in the 1967 NFL draft. He was chosen in the seventh round as a tight end. For his first three years with the Cowboys, he played different roles. He was a tight end, a defensive lineman, and an offensive tackle. He was 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighed about 225 pounds.

In 1969, during his third season, Wright got his first chance to be a starter. This happened when another player, Ralph Neely, was injured. Wright had to play against Deacon Jones, a famous defensive end. Wright played so well that he earned a starting spot as a right tackle in 1970.

Rayfield Wright played for 13 seasons with the Cowboys. He played in over 200 games. He started as a right tackle in six NFC Championship games. He also played in five Super Bowls, winning two of them. These wins were in Super Bowl VI and Super Bowl XII.

He was chosen for his first of four All-Pro honors in 1971. In the same year, he was voted to the first of six straight Pro Bowls. From 1971 to 1976, he was named first- or second-team All-Pro every season. He also earned three All-NFC honors.

Wright was a co-captain for the Cowboys for seven years. His strong blocking helped the team win many games. The Cowboys won 10 division titles and six conference championships with him. He helped the team's offense be one of the best in the league.

In 1980, the Cowboys released Wright. He then signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. However, he retired early during training camp that same year.

Rayfield Wright was a key player for the Cowboys' offense. He helped the team have five different players rush for over 1,000 yards. He played at a time when the right tackle was a very important position. This player often had to block the opponent's best pass rusher. Wright was known for being light on his feet and very athletic for his size.

His teammates praised him highly. Calvin Hill, a former Cowboys running back, said Wright "could do it all." He added that Wright was "dominant" at pass-blocking. Roger Staubach, the Cowboys' quarterback, said Wright was "absolutely the best." He remembered that Wright had quick feet and was great at dealing with fast defensive players.

In 1972, the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) named him the NFC Offensive Lineman of the Year.

Rayfield Wright's Legacy

Rayfield Wright received many awards and honors after his playing career.

• In 1988, he was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
• He was part of the NFL All-Time Super Bowl Team in 1990.
• In 2002, he joined the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame.
• The Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor welcomed him in 2004. This is a special honor for great Cowboys players.
• He was also inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
• In 2006, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This is one of the highest honors for a football player. His college coach, Stan Lomax, introduced him at the ceremony.

He was also inducted into the Fort Valley Georgia Hall of Fame and the Griffin Georgia Hall of Fame.

Life After Football

After his football career, Rayfield Wright helped others. In 1992, he was an assistant coach for the Arizona Rattlers. He worked with young people who were at risk. Because of this, he was appointed to the Juvenile Supreme Court in Arizona. He also led a program called "Caring for Kids" for the NFL Alumni Chapter. He co-founded "Kids 4 Tomorrow," a non-profit group, with other NFL players.

Wright also started the Rayfield Wright Foundation. This foundation helps children get grants to go to college. He wrote a book about his life called Wright Up Front.

Later in his life, Rayfield Wright faced health challenges related to his football career. He passed away on April 7, 2022, at the age of 76. He was survived by his wife, Di, his three daughters, and two sons.