Meet
Larry Rayfield Wright – the underprivileged
underdog who turned into a “Big Cat”.
On August 23, 1945, he entered this world
penniless and poor in material things yet
abundantly wealthy in hope and principle.
Raised fatherless, Rayfield’s first
coach was Big Mama, his faithful grandmother
who devoted hours each day teaching him
respect and the power of prayer. Other players
on his all-star team were his dedicated
mother and siblings, a cousin named Bubba,
and a persistent, committed leader named
Mr. Lomax. Little did they know that each
day in young Rayfield’s life would
lead to athletic fame.
Although the odds of achieving success were
stacked taller than his 6’7”
frame, Rayfield tackled some amazingly tough
hardships and, in 1967, eventually captured
a position with the Dallas Cowboys. During
his 13-year career, he covered Roger Staubach’s
back and cleared the way for the running
and receiving talents of Calvin Hill, Duane
Thomas, Tony Dorsett, Robert Newhouse, Drew
Pearson and other Cowboy legends. To date,
Rayfield Wright is one of only 13 players
in NFL history to have played in five Super
Bowls.
In August of 2006, Rayfield was the 235th
legend to be forever enshrined into the
Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH,
along with Troy Aikman, Harry Carson, John
Madden, Warren Moon and Reggie White. (To
view his highly acclaimed acceptance speech,
visit
here: and click on his picture.) Rayfield
has also been inducted into the Texas Sports
Hall of Fame and was the 12th player selected
to the highly regarded Dallas Cowboys “Ring
of Honor” at Texas Stadium. He is
also an inductee in the State of Georgia
Hall of Fame, Fort Valley Georgia Hall of
Fame, Griffin Georgia Hall of Fame, and
the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame.
Since retiring from professional football
in 1980, he experiences personal rewards
working with children and at-promise students.
Rayfield is one of the original founders
of Kids 4 Tomorrow™, a non-profit
organization of professional athletes who
work with children from K through 12th grade.
Other community contributions include: The
Boys & Girls Club, Big Brothers &
Sisters, Say No to Drugs, the Boy Scouts
of America (he achieved Eagle Scout status
as a young man), Special Olympics, A Place
for Grace, Make-A-Wish Foundation and The
Nelson Center.
As a dynamic, inspirational speaker, Rayfield
delivers powerful and mentoring messages
to today’s high school students and
college athletes. He is also a motivational
speaker to national and local businesses,
churches, charities and non-profit organizations.
Rayfield is currently the President of Team Wright
Exploration, a minority-owned, all-inclusive oil
production corporation. He is also the CEO of Wright’s Sports
and Nutrition, Founder of The Rayfield
Wright Foundation, and the co-author of
his autobiography titled Wright Up Front.
He has four children, four grandchildren
and resides near Fort Worth, Texas.
“Although
he was a long shot in the 1967 draft,
Rayfield’s superior athletic ability
and competitiveness carried him to six
straight Pro Bowls and four All-Pro seasons,
making him the most honored offensive
lineman in Cowboys history. Rayfield was
an integral part of all five of our Super
Bowl teams. He was always a team player
whose solid character contributed to a
winning atmosphere. It was an honor to
coach Rayfield Wright.”
Coach Tom Landry in a letter to the State
of Georgia Hall of Fame
“Life
is like a football game. If you get called
for holding, may you be holding on to
what you believe in or holding the ones
you love. Should you get called for illegal
use of hands, may they be held together
in prayer.”
Rayfield Wright © 2005
