In addition to his kicking prowess, he was a starter at safety for USM. As a senior he intercepted a USM record eight passes, and was named an All-American defensive back. He played quarterback in his early years and was the last string emergency quarterback for the Raiders.
Ironically he replaced kicker-quarterback George Blanda at that position. Early in Guy’s career he would occasionally kickoff for the Raiders when it was apparent that George Blanda no longer had the range to kickoff.
Ray Guy was a punter that used picture perfect technique and a tremendous leg whip to kick the ball high and keep it there so long that there was little chance of a return. It was his hang time and placement that made him dangerous on the field.
He was able to effectively pin the opponent deep in their own territory, and if the defense upheld their part of the bargain, the Raiders invariably won the exchange of punts and the field position battle. In the 1976 Pro Bowl, one of his punts hit the giant TV screen hanging from the rafters in the Louisiana Superdome.
Not only did Ray Guy punt high and far—“hang time” came into the NFL lexicon during his tenure. He once had an opponent take a ball he punted tested for helium!
“I was never much on hang-time until we got Ray, but then we started clocking how long his punt hung in the air. Sometimes he kept it up there for six seconds!” A quote from John Madden, Former Raider Head Coach.
He placed an astonishing 57 punts inside the 20-yard line during the 1984-85 season. The career statistics are phenomenal but even more impressive is that here is a guy whose only concern was helping his team win games.
“He’s the first punter you could look at and say, He won games.” A quote from Joe Horrigan, Pro Football Hall of Fame Historian.
The College Punter of the Year award is now called the Ray Guy Award.
He has proven his greatness for years, but taking you back to another stellar play, the Super Bowl XVIII. He helped the Raiders avoid a catastrophe early in the second quarter when he soared in the air, stretching out his 6’3” frame, making a one-handed catch of a high snap.
After he landed, the athletic Ray Guy kicked a 42-yard punt. He now runs a kicking academy and has several speaking engagements. He is the greatest punter in NFL history and it is shameful that he isn’t in the Hall of Fame.
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