Raymond Chester
| No. 87, 88 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Tight end | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Date of birth: | June 28, 1948 | ||||||||
| Place of birth: | Cambridge, Maryland | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 232 lb (105 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Baltimore (MD) Frederick Douglass | ||||||||
| College: | Morgan State | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1970 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Receptions: | 364 |
|---|---|
| Receiving yards: | 5,013 |
| Touchdowns: | 48 |
| Player stats at NFL.com | |
Raymond Tucker Chester (born June 28, 1948) is a former American Football tight end. After graduating from Douglass High School in Baltimore, Maryland, Chester played college football at the historically Black University, Morgan State. He was a member of the Morgan State Bears’ 1968 undefeated team, scoring the Bears’ only touchdown in their historic victory over Grambling at Yankee Stadium.
Drafted in the first round as the 24th pick overall in the 1970 NFL Draft, Chester began his NFL career with the Oakland Raiders. Pulling in seven touchdowns and over five hundred yards receiving in his NFL debut, Chester received the Rookie of the Year award and secured his first of four career Pro Bowl selections. After a trade in 1973 to the Baltimore Colts, Chester played five seasons with them before returning to Oakland. He played with the Raiders in 1980, becoming a Super Bowl Champion after their defeat of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Born in Cambridge, Maryland, Chester is the fourth of ten siblings born to Ivy and Bertha Chester. His passion for sports began during his years at Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore, where he excelled in track and wrestling as well as football. He moved on to Morgan State, concentrating his athletic efforts on football under the guidance of legendary head coach Earl Banks.
During one of the Bears’ three unbeaten seasons in 1968, Chester played in the match-up between Morgan State and Grambling. The historical game was the first of its kind, pitting two historically black colleges against each other on one of the largest stages of that era—Yankee Stadium.
In that epic battle, Chester hauled in Morgan State’s only touchdown, leading to the Bears’ ultimate 9-7 victory over the Grambling Tigers.
Chester was a member of the 1970 College All-Star team.
Chester entered the NFL draft in 1970, selected in the first round by the Oakland Raider (24th overall) legendary owner Al Davis. He started in his rookie season, contributing to the Raiders’ 8-4-2 season and their appearance in the AFC Division Playoffs. Along with his 42 receptions, 556 yards, and 7 touchdowns, Chester’s performance earned him the NFL Rookie of the Year and his first of four Pro Bowl selections. Davis and Chester would remain close friends until Davis’s death in 2011.
Chester returned to his hometown in 1973 when he was traded to the Baltimore Colts. During his five seasons with the Colts, Chester racked up 2,123 yards receiving, 11 touchdowns, and a key contributor to the Colts winning three division titles (’75, ’76, ’77).
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