Ken Gray

Kenneth Don Gray (March 10, 1936 – November 25, 2017) was an American professional football player who was a guard for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Chicago / St. Louis Cardinals and the Houston Oilers. He played college football for three seasons with the Howard Payne Yellow Jackets.

Early life Gray was born on March 10, 1936, in San Saba, Texas to Lewis and Estelle Gray. Lewis was a heavy equipment operator during World War II. Gray attended Llano High School, graduating in 1954. He received an athletic scholarship to Howard Payne University (HPU), which he attended from 1954-57. He was already a husband (married to Vonceil (Barber) Gray) and father before attending HPU, and the school accommodated his need for a job and a family home, as well as schooling. He lettered four years at Howard Payne, where he played tackle, and was selected All-Lone Star Conference and a Little All-American. He graduated in 1958 with a degree in history and education. He believed HPU helped shape his character and prepare him for any difficulties he faced in the NFL.

Llano held a "Ken Gray Day" on June 1, 1967.

Professional career The Green Bay Packers selected him in the sixth round of the 1958 NFL draft (62nd pick overall). He was the final player cut by Packer coach Scooter McLean in training camp prior to the regular NFL season that year, with the Packers keeping their number four draft pick, future Hall of Fame Jerry Kramer. Other NFL teams contacted Gray to try out and he settled on the Chicago Cardinals because he would be driving through Illinois from Green Bay to Texas. His first NFL contract, in 1958, paid him $6,000.

From 1963 to 1969, Gray's Cardinals teammates chose his as captain.

He earned All-Pro notice seven consecutive seasons (1963–1969) and played in six Pro Bowls (1961, 1963-1964, 1966-1968).The Associated Press (AP) selected him as a first-team All-Pro in 1964, and second-team in 1963, 1965 and 1967. From 1963 to 1969 The Sporting News selected him first-team All-Conference. United Press International (UPI) selected him first-team All-Pro 1963-1965, and second-team in 1966-1967.

In 1967, three other offensive lineman from the Cardinals, Bob DeMarco (center), Irv Goode (left guard), and Ernie McMillan (right tackle), along with Cardinals Hall of Fame tight end Jackie Smith, were all selected to the Pro Bowl.

Coaching career After retiring as a player, he served for three years (1973–1975) as head coach at his high school alma mater, Llano High School, where he coached his son, who was an All-State player. He coached high school football again from 1986 to 1988 with the Rockdale Tigers. In 2016, he was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame along with former University of Texas head football coach Fred Akers, former Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Larry Allen and former Major League Baseball pitcher Andy Pettitte.

Personal life Ken met his longtime wife, Shirley, in high school and married soon after. They were married 65 years at the time of his death, and had four children, 11 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.