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(Southern Mississippi)...6'3'', 195...
William Ray Guy ... First punter ever selected in first round, Raiders 1973 (23rd player overall) ... Averaged under 40 yards only once in NFL career ... Only three of 1,049 punts blocked ... Career average was 42.4 yards ... All-Pro six straight seasons, 1973-1978 ... All-AFC seven times ... Played in seven Pro Bowls, seven AFC championship games, three Super Bowls ... First punter to hit Louisiana Superdome scoreboard, 1977 Pro Bowl ... Born December 22, 1949, in Swainsboro, Georgia.
Ray Guy became the first punter ever selected in the first round of a National Football League draft when the Oakland Raiders tapped him as the 23rd player chosen in 1973. The 6-3, 195-pounder from Southern Mississippi spent his entire 14-season, 207-game career with the Raiders. His career punting average was an excellent 42.4 yards and he averaged more than 40 yards 13 of his 14 seasons. The only time he fell below the 40-yard average mark came during the strike shortened (9 games) 1982 season, when he averaged 39.1 yards. Only three of his 1,049 punts were blocked and he ranked second all-time at the time of his retirement by punting 619 straight times without a block in a period from the 1979 season until the end of his career in 1986. Guy led the NFL in punting in 1974, 1975, and 1977 and finished second three times and third once. A veteran of 22 post-season games, he added 111 punts for a 42.4 average to his career totals. He played in seven Pro Bowls and was named All-Pro six times and All-AFC seven times. His top seasonal average – 45.3 yards on 69 punts – was recorded in his rookie season. His longest punt in the NFL was a 74-yarder against Denver in 1977. In the 1980 AFC Championship Game, he boomed a 71-yarder against San Diego. Besides being a long-distance punter, Guy specialized in putting opponents in poor field position with his pinpoint punts. In the 11 seasons after such records were kept, he was credited with 209 “inside the 20” punts. More than a third of them – 77 – came in his final three seasons. Guy, who was born December 22, 1949, in Swainsboro, Georgia, was a collegiate All-America who averaged 44.7 yards on 200 punts. He doubled as a field goal kicker and once had a 61-yard field goal against Utah State. Guy also played safety and had 18 interceptions in three years. An outstanding baseball pitcher, he was drafted by major league baseball while in high school. His athletic versatility served the Raiders well. Guy not only handled the kickoff duties but served as the Raiders’ emergency quarterback as well.
Championship Games
1973 AFC – Miami Dolphins 27, Oakland Raiders 10 Guy had two punts for a 51.0-yard average and a long of 63 yards.
1974 AFC – Pittsburgh Steelers 24, Oakland Raiders 13 Guy had five punts for a 43.4-yard average and a long of 55 yards.
1975 AFC – Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Oakland Raiders 10 Guy had eight punts for a 37.8-yard average and a long of 44 yards.
1976 AFC – Oakland Raiders 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 7 Guy had seven punts for a 44.0-yard average, one punt inside the 20, and a long of 60 yards.
1977 AFC – Denver Broncos 20, Oakland Raiders 17 Guy had five punts for a 36.0-yard average and a long of 44 yards.
1980 AFC – Oakland Raiders 34, San Diego Chargers 27 Guy had four punts for a 56.0-yard average and a long of 71 yards.
1983 AFC – Los Angeles Raiders 30, Seattle Seahawks 14 Guy had two punts for a 34.0-yard average and a long of 55 yards.
Super Bowls
Super Bowl XI – Oakland Raiders 32, Minnesota Vikings 14 Guy had four punts for 162 yards, a 40.5-yard average. One punt landed inside the 20-yard line and his longest punt was 51 yards.
Super Bowl XV – Oakland Raiders 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10 Guy had three punts for 126 yards, a 42.0-yard average. One punt landed inside the 20-yard line and his longest punt was 44 yards.
Super Bowl XVIII – Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington Redskins 9 Guy had seven punts for 299 yards, a 42.7-yard average. Five punts landed inside the 20-yard line and his longest was 53 yards.
All-Pro: 1973 (PFWA, NEA, PW) • 1974 (PFWA, NEA, PW) • 1975 (PFWA, NEA, PW) • 1976 (AP, PFWA, NEA, PW) • 1977 (AP, PFWA, NEA, PW) • 1978 (AP, PFWA, NEA, PW)
All-Pro Second Team: 1979 (NEA) • 1980 (NEA)
All-AFC: 1973 (SN, PW) • 1974 (UPI, SN, PW) • 1975 (UPI, SN, PW) • 1976 (AP, UPI, SN, PW) • 1977 (UPI, SN, PW) • 1978 (UPI, SN, PW) • 1980 (UPI, PW)
All-AFC Second Team: 1979 (UPI) • 1981 (UPI)
(7) – 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981
(at the time of his retirement following 1986 season) • [2nd] Most Consecutive Punts, None Blocked – 619 (1979-1986) • [Tied for 2nd] Most Seasons Leading League, Punting – 3 (1974-1975, 1977) • [Tied for 3rd] Most Consecutive Seasons Leading League, Punting – 2 (1974-1975)
Super Bowl Records • [2nd] Highest Average Punting, Career – 41.9 • [Tied for 3rd] Most Punts, Career – 14 (3 games)
Postseason Records
• [1st] Most Punts Career – 111 (22 games) • [1st] Highest Average Punting, Game – 56.0 (vs. San Diego, Jan. 11, 1981) • [3rd] Longest Punt – 71 yards (vs. San Diego, Jan. 11, 1981)
Raiders records held by Guy (Records through the 1986 season, Guy’s final season with Raiders)
• [1st] Most Punts, Career – 1,049 • [1st] Most Yards Punting, Career – 44,493 • [1st] Highest Average Punting, Career – 42.4 • [1st] Highest Average Punting, Season – 45.3 (1973) • [1st] Most Punts, Season – 96 (1981) • [1st] Most Yards Punting, Season – 4,195 (1981) • [1st] Highest Average Punting, Game – 57.6 (vs. Denver, Sept. 6, 1981) • [Tied for 1st] Most Punts, Game – 11 (vs. Cleveland, Nov. 18, 1973) • [2nd] Most Punts, Season – 91 (1984) • [2nd] Most Yards Punting, Season – 3,809 (1984) • [2nd] Highest Average Punting, Game – 55.6 (vs. Detroit, Sept. 27, 1981) • [2nd] Longest Punt – 74 yards (vs. Denver, Oct. 30, 1977) • [Tied for 2nd] Most Seasons – 14 • [Tied for 2nd] Most Consecutive Season – 14 • [Tied for 2nd] Most Consecutive Games, Career – 207 • [Tied for 3rd] Most Games, Career – 207 • [Tied for 3rd] Longest Punt – 72 yards (vs. Houston, Dec. 2, 1973) Postseason Records • [1st] Most Punts, Career – 111 • [1st] Most Yards Punting, Career – 4,695 • [1st] Most Punts, Game – 9 (vs. Houston, Dec. 28, 1980; vs. Cleveland, Jan. 4, 1981) • [1st] Most Yards Punting, Game – 460 (vs. Houston, Dec. 28, 1980) • [1st] Highest Average Punting, Game – 56.0 (vs. San Diego, Jan. 11, 1981) • [1st] Longest Punt, Game – 71 yards (vs. San Diego, Jan. 11, 1981) • [2nd] Highest Average Punting, Career – 42.3 • [2nd] Most Yards Punting, Game – 374 (vs. Baltimore, Dec. 24, 1977) • [2nd] Longest Punt, Game – 66 yards (vs. Houston, Dec. 28, 1980) • [1st] Highest Average Punting, Career – 51.0 (vs. Houston, Dec. 28, 1980) • [Tied for 3rd] Most Games, Career – 22
League Statistical Championships Punting Titles: 1974, 1975, 1977 Team Statistical Championships Punting Titles: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986
• NFL's 75th Anniversary All-Time Team • All-Time NFL Team (2000) • AFL-NFL 1960-1984 All-Star TEam • Super Bowl Silver Anniversary Team • NFL All-Decade Team of 1970s
Full Name: William Ray Guy Birthdate: December 22, 1949 Birthplace: Swainsboro, Georgia High School: Thomson (GA) Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame: February 1, 2014 Enshrined into Pro Football Hall of Fame: August 2, 2014 Other Members of Class of 2014: Derrick Brooks, Claude Humphrey, Walter Jones, Andre Reed, Michael Strahan, Aeneas Williams
Pro Career: 14 seasons, 207 games Drafted: 1st round (23rd overall) in 1973 by Oakland Raiders
RAY GUY: