Raymond Clayborn facts for kids
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| Position: | Cornerback | ||||||||
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| Born: | January 2, 1955 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 186 lb (84 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Trimble Tech (TX) | ||||||||
| College: | Texas | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1977 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Raymond Dewayne Clayborn, born on January 2, 1955, is a former American football player. He played as a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). Clayborn played for the New England Patriots from 1977 to 1989. He also played for the Cleveland Browns from 1990 to 1991.
He was chosen for the Pro Bowl three times and was a five-time All-Pro player. Clayborn was the starting cornerback for the Patriots in Super Bowl XX. Before his professional career, he was an All-American defensive back. He also played as a running back and returner at the University of Texas.
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Early Life and High School Football
Raymond Clayborn was born in Fort Worth, Texas. He attended Green B. Trimble Technical High School in Fort Worth. There, he began his football journey.
College Football Career
Clayborn played college football for the University of Texas at Austin. He was a versatile player, acting as both a running back and a defensive back. His skills helped the team win Conference Championships in 1973 and 1975.
He was the first player at Texas to earn a letter in all four years. Clayborn started for the Longhorns from 1973 to 1976. During his time at Texas, he rushed for 529 yards. He also scored 8 touchdowns. He averaged 6.4 yards per carry, which is very good.
Clayborn also returned 35 punts for a total of 335 yards. He was named to the All-Southwest Conference team in both 1975 and 1976. In 1976, he was recognized as an All-American. He was also named the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP) that year.
College Track and Field Achievements
Besides football, Clayborn was also a talented track athlete. He ran track for Texas in 1976 and 1977. He helped the track team win conference championships in both of those years. He was part of the 440-yard and mile relay teams. These teams also won conference championships in 1976 and 1977.
In 1991, Raymond Clayborn was honored for his achievements. He was inducted into the University of Texas Hall of Honor.
Professional Football Career
The New England Patriots chose Raymond Clayborn in the first round of the 1977 NFL Draft. He was the 16th player picked overall. The Patriots got this draft pick from the San Francisco 49ers.
Clayborn played for 14 years in the NFL. During his time with the Patriots, he was selected for the Pro Bowl three times. From 1977 to 1982, he played alongside Hall of Fame player Mike Haynes.
Early Career and Kick Returns
For his first three seasons, Clayborn also played as a kick returner. As a rookie, he returned 28 kickoffs. He gained 869 yards from these returns. He led the league with 3 touchdowns from kick returns. His average of 31.0 yards per return was the best in the NFL. It also set a new record for the Patriots franchise.
Key Player and Super Bowl XX Appearance
Clayborn was an important player on three playoff teams. These teams made it to the playoffs in 1978, 1982, and 1985. The 1985 season was especially notable. Clayborn had a career-high six regular season interceptions. One of these interceptions was returned for a touchdown.
The Patriots won three road playoff games that season. This led them to an unexpected appearance in Super Bowl XX. In the AFC Championship game, the Patriots beat the Miami Dolphins 31-14. Clayborn helped limit Miami quarterback Dan Marino's performance. Marino completed only 20 of 48 passes for 248 yards. Clayborn made one of the two Patriots' interceptions in that upset victory.
In Super Bowl XX, the Patriots lost 46-10 to the Chicago Bears. The Patriots struggled with turnovers in that game. Clayborn recovered one of two fumbles by the Bears. However, his team's offense turned the ball over six times.
Later Career and Retirement
In 1990, Clayborn became a free agent. He signed a two-year contract with the Cleveland Browns. His time with the Browns was not as successful as his years with the Patriots. He did not record any interceptions while playing for Cleveland.
He missed almost all of the 1991 season due to a leg injury. After the 1991 season, he decided to retire from professional football.
Clayborn finished his NFL career with 36 interceptions. He returned these interceptions for 555 yards and one touchdown. He also returned 57 kickoffs for 1,538 yards. He scored 3 touchdowns from kick returns. Additionally, he recovered 4 fumbles.
At the time he retired, his 36 interceptions were a Patriots record. This record has since been tied by Ty Law. As of 2025, he works as the NFL Uniform Program Representative for the Houston Texans.
Hall of Fame Recognition
In 2017, Raymond Clayborn was elected to the New England Patriots Hall of Fame. On July 29, 2017, he signed a special one-day contract. He did this so he could officially retire as a New England Patriot.
Clayborn has been nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame several times. However, he has not yet advanced to become a semi-finalist.
See also
- List of Texas Longhorns football All-Americans
- List of New England Patriots first-round draft picks
