Ricky Ray
Encyclopedia
Ricky Ray is a Canadian
and American football
quarterback
who has played in the Canadian Football League
and af2
, as well as spending time on a roster in the National Football League
. He is most well known for his performance with the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos
.
in Redding, California
in 1997. The 1998 season saw Ray become a first-team All-American and state player of the year for his work at quarterback.
This naturally led to appearing on a larger stage, and Ray played division one NCAA
college football
with Sacramento State University
, and played two seasons there before turning professional. In his first year as a college starter in 1999, Ray was exceptional, with 179 of 291 passes being completed, leading to 2,422 yards and twenty touchdowns. Ray's 2000 season was a drop-off but still strong, completing 168 of 270 passes (a 62.2 completion percentage) for 13 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Ray holds the Sacramento State record for completion percentage (.619), and is third in completions and yards. Ray also rewrote the Shasta College record books during his time there, most notably throwing 199 consecutive pass attempts without allowing an interception.
, but did not make the team and only dressed for a single pre-season game. Ray made his professional debut near the bottom of the ladder, with the Fresno Frenzy
of the Arena Football League's developmental league af2.
, Ray made the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos out of training camp. The Eskimos were considered one of the strongest teams in the West Division of the time. However, the Eskimos were deep at quarterback. Starter Jason Maas
was considered one of the best at his position in the league. Ray started the season as the Eskimos' third-string quarterback.
Late in the fourth quarter of a Week Four game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders
, Maas was knocked out of the game, and would not be available for the Week Five matchup against the rival BC Lions
. Ray made his debut relieving Maas in the Saskatchewan game and his first start against the Lions, throwing for four touchdowns. The first-year Canadian football player threw for 2,991 yards, 24 touchdowns, and nine interceptions with a quarterback rating of 101.3, highest in the league.
With Maas still recovering from injury, Ray led the Eskimos to the Grey Cup
game against Montréal. Ray threw for 324 yards, but the Eskimos lost the 90th Grey Cup
to the Alouettes 26-16 at home. Ray failed to convert on a vital two-point conversion late in the game that could have tied the affair at 18-18. The failure forced the Eskimos into an onside kick
attempt, which failed as Montréal returned it for a touchdown and took a lead that they would not lose. During the year, Ray received Offensive Player of the Week and Month honours, but was ineligible for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, due to his brief NFL experience.
Maas returned for the 2003
season, setting up a quarterback duel between Maas and Ray during training camp. However, Maas sustained a back injury during the off-season, a condition that would require surgery. Ray remained the starter even after Maas returned.
There was no sophomore jinx for Ray, as, despite splitting time early in the year, he ended up with a 67.6 completion percentage, 4,640 yards, 35 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and was a candidate for the Most Valuable Player award. The Eskimos rebounded from their slow start and made the playoffs, defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders
in the Western final as Ray threw for 356 yards. The 91st Grey Cup
in Regina, Saskatchewan
featured the Eskimos against the Alouettes. The Eskimos defeated the Alouettes 34-22, for the team's first Grey Cup in a decade. Ray played exceptionally against Alouettes coach Don Matthews
's renowned blitzing
defense, completing 22 of 32 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns.
, Doug Flutie
and Jeff Garcia
, onto a National Football League roster. Ray drew interest from every quarter, and reports that there was an NFL scout at an Eskimos game could draw considerable paranoia from Eskimos fans desperately afraid of losing their new-found star.
The off-season of 2003 was a small circus, as Canadian football fans wondered what path Ray would take. Former Eskimo Warren Moon, a legend in both leagues, advised Ray to stay in the CFL a little while longer to improve as a quarterback and receive a better shot at a starting job. But the lure of the league he had dreamed of in his youth proved too strong to keep Ray in Canada, and he signed with the New York Jets
. Even as Ray entered the NFL, former Calgary Stampeders
star quarterback Dave Dickenson and former Saskatchewan Roughriders starter Henry Burris
, both contemporaries of Ray's and, in the case of Dickenson, a comparable quarterback in terms of style and talent, were finding themselves unable to crack an NFL roster. Both would return to the CFL before the season was over. It was an ominous omen of how Ray's NFL stay would turn out.
In the 2004 NFL season
, Ray dressed for six games with the Jets, but did nothing more than hold a clipboard on the sidelines during game action. When starter Chad Pennington
went down briefly with a rotator cuff injury, some saw it as a chance for Ray to do in the NFL what he did in Canada, however, backup Quincy Carter
came in and played well, dooming Ray to the bench. After the season concluded, Ray was released by the Jets. With no offers to remain on an NFL roster forthcoming for 2005
, Ray returned to the Canadian Football League and the Eskimos.
. In addition to Ray, Jason Maas remained in Edmonton. While Ray had been in the NFL, Maas had been the starter and had played superbly, becoming only the second Eskimo to pass for 5,000 yards in a single season. Khari Jones and Jason Johnson were also hanging around, but neither were possibilities to take the starting job.
As expected, Ray received the starting job out of training camp in 2005. Maas, despite frequent trade rumours, was once again made his backup, and Jones was released outright (he later resurfaced with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
). Johnson remained on the roster as the third quarterback. Ray started the 2005 season strong, leading the league in completions and yardage. However, towards the end of the year, Ray's play faltered, concluding in him not throwing a touchdown in the season's last four games.
In the playoffs, Ray was benched twice more, both in the West Semi-Final against Calgary and the West Final against British Columbia, and both times Maas came on the field, threw very well, and recorded the winning points. Head coach Danny Maciocia
, however, promised Ray the start in the 93rd Grey Cup
, perhaps because of rumours that a trade of Maas to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats had already been arranged. This time, however, Ray seized the opportunity presented to him, throwing for 359 yards and two touchdowns while completing 35 of 45 passes. The Eskimos defeated their old foes the Montréal Alouettes in a thrilling shootout victory, and Ray was the hero as he was named most valuable player.
In 2005, with Ray leading the Eskimos again, the Edmonton Eskimos and Montreal Alouettes met in the Grey Cup game for the 3rd time in 4 years. Once again, the Eskimos were victorious in the rubber match, winning in overtime, 38-35, after an ill advised move by the Montreal quarterback, Anthony Calvillo
took a penalty by throwing the ball twice on the same play, and then getting sacked by Charles Alston
. This decision put Montreal in a 3rd and 30 situation, and handed Edmonton their 13th Grey Cup Championship. Ray was named Grey Cup MVP of the game for his outstanding performance.
In 2006
, Ray started for the Eskimos for every single game of the season. The Eskimos had one of the most successful passing offences in moving the ball downfield, but found a way to fail in the red zone quite often. The bland "take what the defence gives you" style offence that offensive coordinator Danny Maciocca implemented proved to be the downfall of the Eskimos in '06. However, Ray led the league in passing with exactly 5000 yards, and was near the top in completion percentage at 65.7 %, 21 TD's, and a passer rating of 89.8. During the season Ray also began to display his ability in scrambling, as the offensive line broke down quite often in the earlier stages of the '06 season. Ray had 469 yards rushing with 9 TD's. Despite the fact that the Eskimos did not make the playoffs, Ray was one of the few bright spots on the Eskimos.
In 2007
, Ray continued to be a bright spot on the slow-starting Eskimos. On September 14, 2007, in a win against the Montreal Alouettes
Ray surpassed CFL and NFL hall-of-famer Warren Moon
to capture the Eskimos' all-time record for career passing yards. On September 28, 2007, he suffered a separated shoulder at the hands of Toronto Argonauts
safety Willie Pile
, ending his season. Without Ray, the Eskimos lost their remaining five games and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
In 2008
, Ray completed 422 of 608 pass attempts (69.8% completion) for a league leading, career best, and single season Eskimo record 5661 yards. Ray threw for 26 TDs and 17 INTs for a 101.8 QB rating. Ray also scrambled for 258 yards and 5 TDs. One of his best games of the season came in the final week of the season vs. the Alouettes when Ray broke the record for highest completion percentage in a single game (with a minimum of 20 passing attempts) when he went 23/25 for 92.0% for 302 yards and 2 TDs in only 3 quarters of play. He led the Esks to a win in the crossover playoff game in Winnipeg
, but the team lost in the East finals to Montreal. The 2008 Eskimos were the first team to ever win a crossover game.
In 2009
, Ray completed 401 of 596 pass attempts (67.3% completion) for a league leading 4916 yards, 22 TDs and 12 INTs for a 96.4 QB rating. Ray scrambled for 206 yards and 6 TDs. In a game versus the Saskatchewan Roughriders
, Ray completed 20 consecutive passes before receiver Jamaica Rector
dropped a pass, ending the streak. This remarkable performance left Ray 2nd all time behind teammate Jason Maas
(who completed 22 straight passes on July 30, 2004), in the CFL record books for most consecutive pass completions in a single game.
In 2010
, Ray completed 288 of 447 pass attempts (64.4% completion) for 3565 yards, 11 TDs and 16 INTs for a 82.3 QB rating. Additionally, Ray scrambled for 302 yards and 3 TDs. In Game 15 Ray had a career rushing performance compiling 135 yards on 12 rushes and a touchdown. Ricky Ray started 16 of the 18 games. Statistically, it was Ray's worst year of his career.
In 2011
, Ray completed 343 of 526 pass attempts (65.2% completion) for 4954 yards, 24 TDs and 11 INTs for a 99.3 QB rating. Additionally, Ray scrambled for 258 yards and 1 TD. Ricky Ray had a bounce back season after struggling in 2010
. His solid play earned him Offensive Player of the month for the month of September. Ray lead the Eskimos to a record of 11-7, qualifying for the Playoffs.
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
and American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
who has played in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
and af2
Af2
AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
, as well as spending time on a roster in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He is most well known for his performance with the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
.
College career
At age 18, Ray made his debut for Shasta CollegeShasta College
Shasta College is an American two-year to four- year community college located in Redding, California founded in 1950. It later moved to a much bigger campus, while the original campus became the new location of Shasta High School....
in Redding, California
Redding, California
Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...
in 1997. The 1998 season saw Ray become a first-team All-American and state player of the year for his work at quarterback.
This naturally led to appearing on a larger stage, and Ray played division one NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
with Sacramento State University
California State University, Sacramento
California State University, Sacramento, popularly known as Sacramento State, is a public university located in the city of Sacramento, California. It is part of the California State University system...
, and played two seasons there before turning professional. In his first year as a college starter in 1999, Ray was exceptional, with 179 of 291 passes being completed, leading to 2,422 yards and twenty touchdowns. Ray's 2000 season was a drop-off but still strong, completing 168 of 270 passes (a 62.2 completion percentage) for 13 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Ray holds the Sacramento State record for completion percentage (.619), and is third in completions and yards. Ray also rewrote the Shasta College record books during his time there, most notably throwing 199 consecutive pass attempts without allowing an interception.
Professional career
After his college career ended in 2000, Ray attended a training camp for the NFL's San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, but did not make the team and only dressed for a single pre-season game. Ray made his professional debut near the bottom of the ladder, with the Fresno Frenzy
Fresno Frenzy
The Fresno Frenzy were an expansion af2 team for the 2002 season. Fresno was joined by the Albany Conquest, Bakersfield Blitz, Cape Fear Wildcats, Hawaiian Islanders, Mobile Wizards, Mohegan Wolves, New Haven Ninjas, San Diego Riptide & the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers...
of the Arena Football League's developmental league af2.
Arena Football
Under the tutelage of former Canadian Football League quarterback Rick Worman, Ray thrived during his brief stay in Fresno. Playing in seven games, Ray was a natural at the Arena game, throwing 25 touchdowns as opposed to only six interceptions for a total of 1,296 yards. Even in the high-scoring environment of arena football, Ray's accuracy and arm strength impressed football observers. Although he was not yet considered a serious prospect, some Canadian football clubs were convinced to give him a look.CFL debut
In 20022002 CFL season
The 2002 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 49th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 45th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2002:...
, Ray made the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos out of training camp. The Eskimos were considered one of the strongest teams in the West Division of the time. However, the Eskimos were deep at quarterback. Starter Jason Maas
Jason Maas
Jason Maas is a former Canadian football quarterback. He is best known for his career in the Canadian Football League, which was largely spent with the Edmonton Eskimos...
was considered one of the best at his position in the league. Ray started the season as the Eskimos' third-string quarterback.
Late in the fourth quarter of a Week Four game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
, Maas was knocked out of the game, and would not be available for the Week Five matchup against the rival BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
. Ray made his debut relieving Maas in the Saskatchewan game and his first start against the Lions, throwing for four touchdowns. The first-year Canadian football player threw for 2,991 yards, 24 touchdowns, and nine interceptions with a quarterback rating of 101.3, highest in the league.
With Maas still recovering from injury, Ray led the Eskimos to the Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
game against Montréal. Ray threw for 324 yards, but the Eskimos lost the 90th Grey Cup
90th Grey Cup
The 90th Grey Cup was the 2002 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Montreal Alouettes on November 24 at Commonwealth Stadium, in Edmonton, Alberta...
to the Alouettes 26-16 at home. Ray failed to convert on a vital two-point conversion late in the game that could have tied the affair at 18-18. The failure forced the Eskimos into an onside kick
Onside kick
In American and Canadian football, an onside kick is a type of kick used at a kickoff or other free kick, or scrimmage kick or other kick during play, in which the ball is kicked favorably for the kicking team to avoid giving away the ball...
attempt, which failed as Montréal returned it for a touchdown and took a lead that they would not lose. During the year, Ray received Offensive Player of the Week and Month honours, but was ineligible for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, due to his brief NFL experience.
Maas returned for the 2003
2003 CFL season
The 2003 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 50th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 46th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2003:...
season, setting up a quarterback duel between Maas and Ray during training camp. However, Maas sustained a back injury during the off-season, a condition that would require surgery. Ray remained the starter even after Maas returned.
There was no sophomore jinx for Ray, as, despite splitting time early in the year, he ended up with a 67.6 completion percentage, 4,640 yards, 35 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and was a candidate for the Most Valuable Player award. The Eskimos rebounded from their slow start and made the playoffs, defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
in the Western final as Ray threw for 356 yards. The 91st Grey Cup
91st Grey Cup
The 91st Grey Cup was the 2003 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Montreal Alouettes on November 16 at Taylor Field, in Regina, Saskatchewan before 50,909 fans...
in Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
featured the Eskimos against the Alouettes. The Eskimos defeated the Alouettes 34-22, for the team's first Grey Cup in a decade. Ray played exceptionally against Alouettes coach Don Matthews
Don Matthews
Don Matthews, a.k.a. "The Don", is a former head coach of several teams in the Canadian Football League and is the second winningest head coach in CFL history with 231 wins...
's renowned blitzing
Blitz (American football)
In American football or Canadian football, a blitz or red dog is when players on or behind the line of scrimmage during a play, are sent across the scrimmage line to the offensive side to try to tackle the quarterback or disrupt his pass attempt...
defense, completing 22 of 32 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns.
NFL career
After two outstanding years in Canada, Ray began to look south of the border, hoping to follow such CFL stars as Warren MoonWarren Moon
Harold Warren Moon is a former American professional gridiron football quarterback who played for the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos and the National Football League's Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs...
, Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie
Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
and Jeff Garcia
Jeff Garcia
Jeffrey Jason "Jeff" Garcia is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at San Jose State University....
, onto a National Football League roster. Ray drew interest from every quarter, and reports that there was an NFL scout at an Eskimos game could draw considerable paranoia from Eskimos fans desperately afraid of losing their new-found star.
The off-season of 2003 was a small circus, as Canadian football fans wondered what path Ray would take. Former Eskimo Warren Moon, a legend in both leagues, advised Ray to stay in the CFL a little while longer to improve as a quarterback and receive a better shot at a starting job. But the lure of the league he had dreamed of in his youth proved too strong to keep Ray in Canada, and he signed with the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Even as Ray entered the NFL, former Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
star quarterback Dave Dickenson and former Saskatchewan Roughriders starter Henry Burris
Henry Burris
Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...
, both contemporaries of Ray's and, in the case of Dickenson, a comparable quarterback in terms of style and talent, were finding themselves unable to crack an NFL roster. Both would return to the CFL before the season was over. It was an ominous omen of how Ray's NFL stay would turn out.
In the 2004 NFL season
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
, Ray dressed for six games with the Jets, but did nothing more than hold a clipboard on the sidelines during game action. When starter Chad Pennington
Chad Pennington
James Chadwick "Chad" Pennington is an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for ten years. He is currently a football analyst with FOX Sports though he plans to return to playing after recovering from an injury...
went down briefly with a rotator cuff injury, some saw it as a chance for Ray to do in the NFL what he did in Canada, however, backup Quincy Carter
Quincy Carter
Lavonya Quintelle "Quincy" Carter is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys...
came in and played well, dooming Ray to the bench. After the season concluded, Ray was released by the Jets. With no offers to remain on an NFL roster forthcoming for 2005
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
, Ray returned to the Canadian Football League and the Eskimos.
Return to the CFL
Ray's return was immediately accompanied by controversy. He immediately became the favourite to take the starting job in Edmonton, but, once again, the team was deep at quarterback in 20052005 Edmonton Eskimos season
The Edmonton Eskimos finished 3rd in the West division with a 11–7–0 record and won the Grey Cup. This was the last season in their 34 year streak of making the playoffs.-CFL Draft:-Transactions:-Schedule:-Season schedule:...
. In addition to Ray, Jason Maas remained in Edmonton. While Ray had been in the NFL, Maas had been the starter and had played superbly, becoming only the second Eskimo to pass for 5,000 yards in a single season. Khari Jones and Jason Johnson were also hanging around, but neither were possibilities to take the starting job.
As expected, Ray received the starting job out of training camp in 2005. Maas, despite frequent trade rumours, was once again made his backup, and Jones was released outright (he later resurfaced with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
). Johnson remained on the roster as the third quarterback. Ray started the 2005 season strong, leading the league in completions and yardage. However, towards the end of the year, Ray's play faltered, concluding in him not throwing a touchdown in the season's last four games.
In the playoffs, Ray was benched twice more, both in the West Semi-Final against Calgary and the West Final against British Columbia, and both times Maas came on the field, threw very well, and recorded the winning points. Head coach Danny Maciocia
Danny Maciocia
Danny Maciocia is the head coach of the Université de Montréal Carabins football team. He is also the former general manager & director of football operations of the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos and former offensive coordinator with the André-Grasset Phénix, a CEGEP team in...
, however, promised Ray the start in the 93rd Grey Cup
93rd Grey Cup
The 93rd Grey Cup game was held on November 27, 2005, at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Montreal Alouettes, to decide the winner of the 2005 season of the Canadian Football League. The Eskimos prevailed over the Alouettes in a 38-35 overtime...
, perhaps because of rumours that a trade of Maas to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats had already been arranged. This time, however, Ray seized the opportunity presented to him, throwing for 359 yards and two touchdowns while completing 35 of 45 passes. The Eskimos defeated their old foes the Montréal Alouettes in a thrilling shootout victory, and Ray was the hero as he was named most valuable player.
In 2005, with Ray leading the Eskimos again, the Edmonton Eskimos and Montreal Alouettes met in the Grey Cup game for the 3rd time in 4 years. Once again, the Eskimos were victorious in the rubber match, winning in overtime, 38-35, after an ill advised move by the Montreal quarterback, Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo is a Canadian Football League quarterback, currently playing for the Montreal Alouettes. He is the all-time professional football passing yards leader and first in all-time CFL passing yards...
took a penalty by throwing the ball twice on the same play, and then getting sacked by Charles Alston
Charles Alston
Charles Henry Alston was an African-American painter, sculptor, illustrator, muralist and teacher who lived and worked in the New York City neighborhood of Harlem. Alston was active in the Harlem Renaissance; Alston was the first African American supervisor for the Works Progress Administration's...
. This decision put Montreal in a 3rd and 30 situation, and handed Edmonton their 13th Grey Cup Championship. Ray was named Grey Cup MVP of the game for his outstanding performance.
In 2006
2006 Edmonton Eskimos season
The Edmonton Eskimos finished 4th in the West division with a 7–11–0 record and failed to make the playoffs. This marked the end of their 34 year streak of making the playoffs, the longest such streak in North American Sports History.-CFL Draft:...
, Ray started for the Eskimos for every single game of the season. The Eskimos had one of the most successful passing offences in moving the ball downfield, but found a way to fail in the red zone quite often. The bland "take what the defence gives you" style offence that offensive coordinator Danny Maciocca implemented proved to be the downfall of the Eskimos in '06. However, Ray led the league in passing with exactly 5000 yards, and was near the top in completion percentage at 65.7 %, 21 TD's, and a passer rating of 89.8. During the season Ray also began to display his ability in scrambling, as the offensive line broke down quite often in the earlier stages of the '06 season. Ray had 469 yards rushing with 9 TD's. Despite the fact that the Eskimos did not make the playoffs, Ray was one of the few bright spots on the Eskimos.
In 2007
2007 Edmonton Eskimos season
The Edmonton Eskimos finished 4th in the West division with a 5–12–1 record and failed to make the playoffs.-CFL Draft:-Transactions:*Later traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats**Later traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders-Schedule:...
, Ray continued to be a bright spot on the slow-starting Eskimos. On September 14, 2007, in a win against the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
Ray surpassed CFL and NFL hall-of-famer Warren Moon
Warren Moon
Harold Warren Moon is a former American professional gridiron football quarterback who played for the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos and the National Football League's Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs...
to capture the Eskimos' all-time record for career passing yards. On September 28, 2007, he suffered a separated shoulder at the hands of Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
safety Willie Pile
Willie Pile
Willie Marquis Pile is a Canadian football linebacker for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
, ending his season. Without Ray, the Eskimos lost their remaining five games and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
In 2008
2008 Edmonton Eskimos season
The Edmonton Eskimos season was the 51st season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 60th overall. The Eskimos finished 4th in the West division, but made the playoffs because of the "crossover" rule. Edmonton became the first Western team to win the East Semi-Final...
, Ray completed 422 of 608 pass attempts (69.8% completion) for a league leading, career best, and single season Eskimo record 5661 yards. Ray threw for 26 TDs and 17 INTs for a 101.8 QB rating. Ray also scrambled for 258 yards and 5 TDs. One of his best games of the season came in the final week of the season vs. the Alouettes when Ray broke the record for highest completion percentage in a single game (with a minimum of 20 passing attempts) when he went 23/25 for 92.0% for 302 yards and 2 TDs in only 3 quarters of play. He led the Esks to a win in the crossover playoff game in Winnipeg
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
, but the team lost in the East finals to Montreal. The 2008 Eskimos were the first team to ever win a crossover game.
In 2009
2009 Edmonton Eskimos season
The Edmonton Eskimos season was the 52nd season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 61st overall. The Eskimos finished the season in third place with a 9–9 record. They appeared in the West Semi-Final where they lost to the Calgary Stampeders.- CFL Draft :The 2009 CFL Draft took...
, Ray completed 401 of 596 pass attempts (67.3% completion) for a league leading 4916 yards, 22 TDs and 12 INTs for a 96.4 QB rating. Ray scrambled for 206 yards and 6 TDs. In a game versus the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
, Ray completed 20 consecutive passes before receiver Jamaica Rector
Jamaica Rector
Jamaica Rector is an American and Canadian football wide receiver for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
dropped a pass, ending the streak. This remarkable performance left Ray 2nd all time behind teammate Jason Maas
Jason Maas
Jason Maas is a former Canadian football quarterback. He is best known for his career in the Canadian Football League, which was largely spent with the Edmonton Eskimos...
(who completed 22 straight passes on July 30, 2004), in the CFL record books for most consecutive pass completions in a single game.
In 2010
2010 Edmonton Eskimos season
The Edmonton Eskimos season was the 53rd season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 62nd overall. After the Eskimos lost the final game of the season, they were eliminated from playoff contention, despite winning five of their last seven games.This is also the first time since...
, Ray completed 288 of 447 pass attempts (64.4% completion) for 3565 yards, 11 TDs and 16 INTs for a 82.3 QB rating. Additionally, Ray scrambled for 302 yards and 3 TDs. In Game 15 Ray had a career rushing performance compiling 135 yards on 12 rushes and a touchdown. Ricky Ray started 16 of the 18 games. Statistically, it was Ray's worst year of his career.
In 2011
2011 Edmonton Eskimos season
The Edmonton Eskimos season was the 54th season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 63rd overall. The Eskimos improved upon their 7–11 record from 2010, after winning their eighth game on October 10, 2011, while also securing a berth in the playoffs in that same game...
, Ray completed 343 of 526 pass attempts (65.2% completion) for 4954 yards, 24 TDs and 11 INTs for a 99.3 QB rating. Additionally, Ray scrambled for 258 yards and 1 TD. Ricky Ray had a bounce back season after struggling in 2010
2010 Edmonton Eskimos season
The Edmonton Eskimos season was the 53rd season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 62nd overall. After the Eskimos lost the final game of the season, they were eliminated from playoff contention, despite winning five of their last seven games.This is also the first time since...
. His solid play earned him Offensive Player of the month for the month of September. Ray lead the Eskimos to a record of 11-7, qualifying for the Playoffs.
Career statistics
| Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Games | Comp | Att | Pct | Yards | TD | Int | Rating | Att | Yards | Avg | Long | TD | Fumb | ||
| 2002 2002 CFL season The 2002 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 49th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 45th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2002:... |
EDM 2002 Edmonton Eskimos season The Edmonton Eskimos finished 1st in the West division with a 13–5–0 record, but lost the Grey Cup at Commonwealth Stadium to the Montreal Alouettes.-CFL Draft:-Schedule:-Season standings:-Season schedule:Total attendance: 343,447... |
18 | 227 | 359 | 63.2 | 2991 | 24 | 9 | 101.3 | 44 | 232 | 5.3 | 32 | 1 | 9 | ||
| 2003 2003 CFL season The 2003 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 50th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 46th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2003:... |
EDM 2003 Edmonton Eskimos season The 2003 Edmonton Eskimos finished 1st in the West division with a 13–5–0 record and won the Grey Cup in a rematch of the previous year's championship game.-CFL Draft:-Schedule:-Season standings:-Season schedule:Total attendance: 371,054... |
18 | 348 | 515 | 67.6 | 4640 | 35 | 13 | 108.1 | 62 | 352 | 5.7 | 35 | 2 | 9 | ||
| 2004 2004 NFL season The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005... |
NYJ 2004 New York Jets season The 2004 New York Jets season saw the team try to improve on its 6–10 2003 record. The Jets started the season by winning their first five games, which was a franchise record. They ultimately finished 10–6, and clinched the fifth seed in the playoffs, reaching the postseason for the third time in... |
6 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2005 2005 CFL season The 2005 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 52nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 48th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2005:... |
EDM 2005 Edmonton Eskimos season The Edmonton Eskimos finished 3rd in the West division with a 11–7–0 record and won the Grey Cup. This was the last season in their 34 year streak of making the playoffs.-CFL Draft:-Transactions:-Schedule:-Season schedule:... |
18 | 479 | 715 | 67.0 | 5510 | 25 | 24 | 87.7 | 83 | 353 | 4.3 | 26 | 9 | 13 | ||
| 2006 2006 CFL season -2006 Rogers CFL Awards:* CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Geroy Simon , BC Lions* CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Brent Johnson , BC Lions* CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Brent Johnson , BC Lions... |
EDM 2006 Edmonton Eskimos season The Edmonton Eskimos finished 4th in the West division with a 7–11–0 record and failed to make the playoffs. This marked the end of their 34 year streak of making the playoffs, the longest such streak in North American Sports History.-CFL Draft:... |
18 | 406 | 618 | 65.7 | 5000 | 21 | 18 | 89.8 | 92 | 469 | 5.1 | 27 | 9 | 6 | ||
| 2007 2007 CFL season The 2007 CFL season was the 54th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it was the 50th season of the league, and many special events were held to commemorate the event. Regular-season play began on June 28, 2007 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario and concluded on... |
EDM 2007 Edmonton Eskimos season The Edmonton Eskimos finished 4th in the West division with a 5–12–1 record and failed to make the playoffs.-CFL Draft:-Transactions:*Later traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats**Later traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders-Schedule:... |
13 | 311 | 445 | 69.9 | 3652 | 22 | 10 | 101.6 | 41 | 232 | 5.7 | 26 | 0 | 8 | ||
| 2008 2008 CFL season The 2008 CFL season was the 55th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it was the 51st season for the league. It was also the first CFL season in which all of the league's regular season and post-season games, including the Grey Cup game, were aired on TSN. This meant the CFL... |
EDM 2008 Edmonton Eskimos season The Edmonton Eskimos season was the 51st season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 60th overall. The Eskimos finished 4th in the West division, but made the playoffs because of the "crossover" rule. Edmonton became the first Western team to win the East Semi-Final... |
18 | 422 | 605 | 69.8 | 5661 | 26 | 17 | 101.8 | 75 | 258 | 3.4 | 15 | 5 | 13 | ||
| 2009 2009 CFL season The 2009 CFL season was the 56th season of modern professional Canadian football. Officially, it was the 52nd season of the Canadian Football League. The Montreal Alouettes won the 97th Grey Cup on November 29 with a last second 28–27 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders... |
EDM 2009 Edmonton Eskimos season The Edmonton Eskimos season was the 52nd season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 61st overall. The Eskimos finished the season in third place with a 9–9 record. They appeared in the West Semi-Final where they lost to the Calgary Stampeders.- CFL Draft :The 2009 CFL Draft took... |
18 | 401 | 596 | 67.3 | 4916 | 22 | 12 | 96.4 | 47 | 206 | 4.4 | 27 | 6 | 3 | ||
| 2010 2010 CFL season The 2010 CFL season is the 57th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it is the 53rd season of the league. Edmonton is scheduled to host the 98th Grey Cup on November 28... |
EDM 2010 Edmonton Eskimos season The Edmonton Eskimos season was the 53rd season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 62nd overall. After the Eskimos lost the final game of the season, they were eliminated from playoff contention, despite winning five of their last seven games.This is also the first time since... |
17 | 288 | 447 | 64.4 | 3565 | 11 | 16 | 82.3 | 37 | 302 | 8.2 | 45 | 3 | 9 | ||
| 2011 2011 CFL season The 2011 CFL season was the 58th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it was the 54th season of the league. The complete schedule was released on February 18 and featured the defending Grey Cup champion Montreal Alouettes opening the season against the visiting BC Lions on... |
EDM 2011 Edmonton Eskimos season The Edmonton Eskimos season was the 54th season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 63rd overall. The Eskimos improved upon their 7–11 record from 2010, after winning their eighth game on October 10, 2011, while also securing a berth in the playoffs in that same game... |
18 | 343 | 526 | 65.2 | 4594 | 24 | 11 | 99.3 | 41 | 258 | 6.3 | 27 | 1 | 13 | ||
| CFL Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football.... totals |
156 | 3225 | 4826 | 66.8 | 40,529 | 210 | 130 | 96.1 | 522 | 2662 | 5.1 | 45 | 36 | 83 | |||
- Games mean "Dressed For", not "Played In"
Miscellaneous
- Ray is popularly nicknamed "Frito Ray" because, just before joining the Eskimos in 2002, he was working out of football as a driver for the Frito-LayFrito-LayFrito-Lay North America is the division of PepsiCo that manufactures, markets and sells corn chips, potato chips and other snack foods. The primary snack food brands produced under the Frito-Lay name include Fritos corn chips, Cheetos cheese-flavored snacks, Doritos and Tostitos tortilla chips,...
potato chipPotato chipPotato chips are thin slices of potato that are deep fried...
company. - Ricky Ray appears on the New York Jets roster in Madden NFL 2005Madden NFL 2005Madden NFL 2005 is an American football video game that was released on August 9, 2004. It features Ravens star linebacker Ray Lewis on the cover...
and as a free agent in Madden NFL 06Madden NFL 06Madden NFL 06 is an American football video game which was released on August 8, 2005. It is also a launch game for the Xbox 360. It is the 16th installment of the Madden NFL series by EA Sports, named for noted color commentator John Madden. The product features former Philadelphia Eagles...
.