Rayfield Wright

Infobox NFLretired
name=Rayfield Wright


width=200
caption=Wright in his gold Hall of Fame jacket
position=Offensive tackle
number=70
birthdate=birth date and age|1945|8|23
Griffin, Georgia
deathdate=
debutyear=1967
finalyear=1979
draftyear=1967
draftround=7
draftpick=182
college=Fort Valley State
teams=
* Dallas Cowboys (1967-1979)
stat1label=Games played
stat1value=166
stat2label=Seasons
stat2value=13
stat3label=Fumble Recoveries
stat3value=4
nfl=WRI503380
highlights=
* 6x Pro Bowl selection (1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976)
* 6x All-Pro selection (1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976)
* 2x Super Bowl champion (VI, XII)
* NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
* 1972 NFLPA NFC Offensive-lineman of the Year
* Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor
HOF=258

Larry Rayfield Wright (born August 23, 1945 in Griffin, Georgia) is a former American football offensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

High school and college years

Wright attended Fairmont High School in Griffin, Georgia and was a letterman in basketball. Wright attended Fort Valley State College and was an All-American selection. He was a standout basketball player at Fort Valley State College and was eventually drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1967 NFL Draft as a tight end.

The NFL years

During his first three years with Dallas, the six-foot-six, 255-pound "Big Cat" was used as a tight end, defensive lineman, and offensive tackle. But in 1969, Wright got his first chance as a starter after Ralph Neely was sidelined by injury. Wright's performance was so strong that he won a starting role as right tackle before the first day of the 1970 training camp.

For thirteen seasons, Wright played 166-games, started at right tackle in six NFC Championship games, and played in five Super Bowls, winning two of them (Super Bowl VI and Super Bowl XII). He earned his first of four All-NFL honors in 1971 and was voted that same year to the first of six straight Pro Bowls. Wright was named first- or second-team All-Pro each season from 1971 through 1976, earned three All-NFC honors, and the Cowboys led the league for total offense five times (ranked 6th all-time at retirement in 1979). His blocking (and leadership as the team's co-captain for 7 years) helped the Cowboys win 10 division titles and six conference crowns. In addition, Wright was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1970s. Was voted the NFLPA NFC Offensive Lineman of the Year in 1972.

"Before undergoing knee surgery that forced him to miss most of the 1977 season, Wright was acknowledged as the NFL's premier offensive tackle." [http://www.dallascowboys.com/history_roh.cfm?player=wright]

After the NFL

In 1992, Wright served as an assistant coach to the Arizona Rattlers. Wright's post-football involvement with at-risk, inner city youth resulted in his appointment to the Juvenile Supreme Court in Arizona. He also served as president of the NFL Alumni Chapter, “Caring for Kids” program in the mid-nineties. He philanthropic endeavors, including the non-profit "Kids 4 Tomorrow" organization he co-founded with some other NFL players, were featured in Volume 9 of the "Philanthropy World Magazine" [http://www.philanthropyintexas.com/0905/harris-wright.htm] , along with fellow former-Cowboy teammate, Cliff Harris. The Athletes International Ministries awarded him Hall of Faith Award in 1997.

Wright was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1988. He was a member of the NFL All-Time Super Bowl Team in 1990 and received the NFL Legends Award that same year. He was inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2004, Rayfield Wright was inducted in the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor. In 2006, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

External links

*"Pro Football Hall of Fame:" [http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=258 Member profile]
* [http://www.gshf.org Georgia Sports Hall of Fame]
* [http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/rayfieldwrighthalloffame.htm Wright's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech]
* [http://www.cowboycards.com/playersChecklist.asp?SN=RW70 Rayfield Wright football cards]