Ray Handley
| Position: | Head coach |
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| Personal information | |
| Date of birth: | October 8, 1944 |
| Place of birth: | Reno, Nevada |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Robert R. "Ray" Handley (born October 8, 1944) is a former American football player and coach who is best remembered for his stormy two seasons as head coach of the National Football League's New York Giants in the early 1990s.
A native of Reno, Nevada, Handley played three seasons at running back for Stanford University beginning in 1963. During his junior season, Handley gained 936 yards, with his long ground gains during the November 14, 1964 contest against Oregon State helping upset the Beavers, 16-7. The following year began with talk of potential All-American honors, but ended in disappointment, although Handley's running helped defeat arch-rival California-Berkeley, 9-7, in the season finale on November 21.
Handley was signed by the American Football League's San Diego Chargers on June 11, 1966, but voluntarily left camp one month later, putting an end to his playing career.
The following year, he returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach, then headed east in 1968 for two years as assistant at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. One of his fellow coaches during this period was Bill Parcells, a connection that would prove fruitful in the future. Following a year out of the game in 1970, Handley returned the following year for the first of four more seasons at Stanford.
In 1975, Handley shifted to coaching another branch of the armed services when he accepted an assistant position at the United States Air Force Academy. In his final year, Parcells served as head coach, but after the latter's departure, Handley once again returned to Stanford, serving five years under both Rod Dowhower and Paul Wiggin.
On February 28, 1984, Handley was named offensive backfield coach of the New York Giants under Parcells, beginning a seven year stretch that saw the team capture two Super Bowls. In 1990, after coming close to leaving coaching to enter George Washington University Law School, Handley was promoted to offensive coordinator. Following the Giants' second title in Super Bowl XXV that season, Parcells announced his retirement, and Handley was then promoted to his first head coaching position on May 15, 1991.
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