View source for Ray Childress

{{Short description|American football player (born 1962)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Ray Childress
| number      = 79, 72
| position    = [[Defensive tackle]] <br> [[Defensive end]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1962|10|20}}
| birth_place = [[Memphis, Tennessee]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 6
| weight_lb   = 272
| draftyear   = 1985
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 3
| high_school = [[J. J. Pearce High School|J. J. Pearce]] {{nowrap|([[Richardson, Texas]])}}
| college     = [[Texas A&M Aggies football|Texas A&M]]
| teams       =
* [[Houston Oilers]] ({{NFL Year|1985|1995}})
* [[Dallas Cowboys]] ({{NFL Year|1996}})
| highlights  =
* First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1992 All-Pro Team|1992]])
* 4× Second-team All-Pro ([[1988 All-Pro Team|1988]]–[[1990 All-Pro Team|1990]], [[1993 All-Pro Team|1993]])
* 5× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1989 Pro Bowl|1988]], [[1991 Pro Bowl|1990]]–[[1994 Pro Bowl|1993]])
* [[PFWA All-Rookie Team]] ([[PFWA All-Rookie Team#1985|1985]])
* First-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1984 College Football All-America Team|1984]])
* Second-team All-American ([[1983 College Football All-America Team|1983]])
* 2× First-team [[Southwest Conference|All-SWC]] ([[1983 All-Southwest Conference football team|1983]], [[1984 All-Southwest Conference football team|1984]])
* [[Texas Sports Hall of Fame]]
| statlabel1  = [[Tackle (football move)|Tackles]]
| statvalue1  = 887
| statlabel2  = [[Quarterback sack|Sacks]]
| statvalue2  = 76.5
| statlabel3  = [[Fumble|Forced fumbles]]
| statvalue3  = 19
| pfr         = ChilRa00
| CollegeHOF  = 2299
}}

'''Raymond Clay Childress Jr.''' (born October 20, 1962) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[defensive tackle]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for the [[Houston Oilers]] and [[Dallas Cowboys]]. He played [[college football]] for the [[Texas A&M Aggies football|Texas A&M Aggies]].

==Early life==
Childress attended [[J. J. Pearce High School]] in [[Richardson, Texas]] playing for Coach Hilton Lambeth, where he was an All-state [[defensive tackle]]. He accepted a football scholarship from [[Texas A&M University]]. He became a star as a freshman at [[defensive tackle]].

As a junior, he posted 117 tackles, 15 quarterback sacks (school record) and was named second-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] by [[Gannett News Service]] (GNS).<ref name="GNS 1983">{{cite news |first=Joel S. |last=Buchsbaum |title=Young, not Rozier deserves trophy |date=November 29, 1983 |newspaper=The Pensacola Journal |page=3B |agency=Gannett News Service |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72113382/ |access-date=February 26, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Open access}}</ref>

As a senior, he anchored an Aggie defense that ranked No. 5 nationally in pass defense (127.5 yards per game). He recorded 124 tackles and 10 sacks. His 25 career sacks was then a school record for a non-linebacker and his 360 tackles then ranked fourth on A&M's career list. He was a first-team All-American selection by [[United Press International]] (UPI).<ref name="UPI 1984">{{cite news |title=UPI All-Americans |newspaper=The Indianapolis Star |date=December 5, 1984 |page=62 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5289262/upi_and_ap_allamerica_teams/ |via=Newspapers.com}}{{open access}}</ref>

Childress ranks fifth all-time at the university in both career tackles and career sacks.<ref>{{cite news |author= Aggie Athletics |title= Texas A&M Athletics Football History |publisher= Texas A&M University |year= 2006}}</ref> In 1990, he was inducted into the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2008, he was inducted into the [[Texas Sports Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://12thman.com/news/2008/3/12/205228220.aspx | title=Childress Inducted Into Texas Sports Hall of Fame | access-date=February 19, 2018}}</ref> In 2010, he was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]].

==Professional career==
===Houston Oilers===
Childress was considered one of the top prospects in the [[1985 NFL draft]] and was in serious consideration for the first-overall selection; the [[Buffalo Bills]], who held the pick, ultimately chose another defensive end, eventual Hall of Famer [[Bruce Smith (defensive end)|Bruce Smith]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.dailylocal.com/article/DL/20090806/SPORTS/308069955 | title=Proper adjustments vaulted Smith into superstar status | date=March 20, 2008 | access-date=February 19, 2018}}</ref> Childress slipped to third overall, where he was selected by the [[Houston Oilers]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1985 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1985/draft.htm |access-date=2023-10-05 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

He shares the NFL record for fumble recoveries in a single game, having recovered three from the [[Washington Redskins]] on October 30, 1988.<ref>{{
cite web |author=NFL|title=Record & Fact Book|url=http://www.nfl.com/history/randf/records/indiv/fumbles|work=NFL.com|year=2005}}</ref>

After five seasons as the Oilers' defensive end, Childress moved to [[defensive tackle]] in 1990 when [[defensive coordinator]] [[Jim Eddy]] switched from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3 scheme, necessitating an extra lineman. Childress was already a [[Pro Bowl]] end and had even filled in at nose guard on occasion. After the move, he would end up as a Pro Bowl selection in Hawaii four more times as a defensive tackle. As a testament to his excellence, four of the eight lowest single-season rushing totals allowed in Oilers history came between 1990 and 1993, with Childress at tackle.

Childress was as effective against the pass as he was against the run. He finished his Oiler career ranked second all-time in quarterback sacks and sixth all-time in tackles, joining [[Elvin Bethea]] as the only defensive linemen among the Oilers' top 10 in both categories. Childress led or shared the team sack lead from 1986 to 1989 and finished with the most single-season sacks for a defensive tackle (13) in 1992. For his 11-year career, Childress registered 13 multi-sack games.

He was known by his fans as not only as a star, but also as a blue-collar iron man. Until a separated shoulder ended his 1995 season (an injury that would thereafter be the determining factor in his decision to retire), he missed only 3 non-strike games due to injury, playing 154 games along the [[defensive line]] from 1985 to 1994.
On February 15, 1996, he was released in a salary-cap move.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/16/sports/pro-football-dallas-signs-woodson-for-18-million.html | title=Dallas Signs Woodson for $18 Million | work=The New York Times | date=February 16, 1996 | access-date=February 19, 2018}}</ref>

Childress may be best remembered for coming up with huge plays at crucial moments of games. He had an incredible seven fumble recoveries in 1988, two shy of the NFL single-season record. Three of those came in the Oilers' memorable 41-17 whipping of the [[Washington Redskins|Redskins]], broadcast on [[ESPN]] October 30, 1988. Childress was the foundation of a remarkable defensive unit that saw Houston make seven consecutive playoff appearances. During the prime of his career, he was considered by many to be the best defensive tackle in football.

===Dallas Cowboys===
On December 4, 1996, he was signed as a [[free agent]] by the [[Dallas Cowboys]], to replace a suspended [[Leon Lett]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1996/12/05/cowboys-sign-childress-to-replace-lett/ | title=Cowboys Sign Childress To Replace Lett | website=[[Chicago Tribune]] | date=December 5, 1996 | access-date=February 19, 2018}}</ref> He was a reserve player for 3 games behind [[Tony Casillas]] and [[Chad Hennings]]. He wasn't re-signed after the season.

==Philanthropy==
Along with his wife, Kara, Childress established the Childress Foundation in [[Houston, Texas]] in 1992. The foundation provides programs to enhance student success, promote productive citizenship through community service, and develop effective life skills.  Since its inception, the Childress Foundation has provided over $1.7 million in college [[scholarship]]s and has benefited more than 1,300 students.

==Personal life==
Following his 12-year career in the NFL, Childress served as chairman and [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] for ten years of the Ray Childress Auto Group and a limited partner in the NFL franchise, Houston Texans.<ref>{{cite news|author=Yahoo! Finance|title=Ray Childress Auto Group, L.P. Company Profile|publisher=Yahoo!|year=2006}}</ref>
RCAG operated the Lawrence Marshall auto dealerships in [[Houston, Texas]] and the small town of [[Hempstead, Texas]], approximately {{convert|50|mi}} from Houston. Lawrence Marshall dealerships closed on February 4, 2009.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://abc13.com/archive/6641577/ | title=Lawrence Marshall dealership shuts down | access-date=February 19, 2018}}</ref> The corporation closing can apparently be traced back to the national credit crunch when General Motors and Chrysler Corporation filed for bankruptcy. He also founded the Childress Directional Drilling, LLC. Childress has 4 children and resides in Houston, Texas and Jackson, Wyoming.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Links==
*[https://www.nfl.com/photos/gil-brandt-s-greatest-nfl-defensive-tackles-of-all-time-0ap3000000816301#661c1bf0-5f51-447e-935f-19872dd53124 Ray Childress at NFL.com]

{{1985 NFL Draft}}
{{Houston Oilers 1985 draft navbox}}
{{TitansFirstPick}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Childress, Ray}}
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Richardson, Texas]]
[[Category:American football defensive tackles]]
[[Category:American football defensive ends]]
[[Category:Texas A&M Aggies football players]]
[[Category:Houston Oilers players]]
[[Category:Dallas Cowboys players]]
[[Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Memphis, Tennessee]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]