Ray Nettles
| No. 51 | |
| Date of birth | August 1, 1949 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Jacksonville, Florida |
| Date of death | September 29, 2009 (aged 60) |
| Place of death | Jacksonville, Florida |
| Career information | |
| CFL status | International |
| Position(s) | LB |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| College | Tennessee |
| NFL draft | 1972 / Round: 6 / Pick: 155 |
| Drafted by | Miami Dolphins |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1972–1976 | BC Lions |
| 1977 | Toronto Argonauts |
| 1978 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| 1979 | Ottawa Rough Riders |
| 1980 | Calgary Stampeders |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| CFL All-Star | 1972, 1973, 1978 |
| CFL East All-Star | 1978 |
| CFL West All-Star | 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977 |
| Awards |
1972 Rookie of the Year |
| Career stats | |
1972 Rookie of the Year
Ray Nettles (August 1, 1949 – September 29, 2009) was a football linebacker at the University of Tennessee who played professional Canadian football from 1972-1980. He was a five-time Canadian Football League All-Star and Hall of Famer.
Nettles was born in Jacksonville, Florida and graduated from Englewood High School in 1968. In his senior year, he was Duval County defensive player of the year and third team All-State.
Nettles accepted a scholarship to the University of Tennessee but spent his first two years as backup to two-time Pro Bowler Jack Reynolds. In the two seasons that Nettles started as linebacker, Tennessee's record was 21-3 and he was named to the All-SEC team in 1971.
The Miami Dolphins drafted him in 1972, but he chose the CFL because they offered twice as much money and the opportunity to play immediately. At Miami, he would have competed for a starting job against All-Pro linebacker Nick Buoniconti. Nettles was quoted in a 1999 Florida Times-Union article, “It’s not like I was afraid to play in the NFL. I could have had success there, but I already waited my turn behind Jack Reynolds at Tennessee, and I didn’t want to do that again. I wanted to prove myself right away.”
Nettles began playing for the BC Lions in 1972 and was named to the All-Star team his first year. In his second year, he won the 1973 CFL's Most Outstanding Lineman Award and was again named to the All-Star team. He remained with the Lions through the 1976 season, then played for the Toronto Argonauts in 1977, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1978, the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1979, and the Calgary Stampeders in 1980. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
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