Ken Rice

Kenneth Earl Rice (September 14, 1939 – October 14, 2020) was an American football offensive tackle and guard who played in the American Football League (AFL) for the Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders, and the Miami Dolphins. Rice played college football for the Auburn Tigers, where he was named a two-time All-American. He was selected by the Bills with the first overall pick of the 1961 AFL draft.

Early life Ken Rice was born in Attapulgus, Georgia on September 14, 1939, and moved to Bainbridge before high school. At Bainbridge High School, Rice played football, basketball, baseball, and took part in track and field.

Rice received offers from FSU, Tennessee and Georgia Tech. Eventually, Rice chose to attend Auburn. Rice played for seven years for the Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders, and the Miami Dolphins, playing in 79 games total.

In 1964, Rice was traded to the Oakland Raiders. In 1966, the Miami Dolphins drafted Rice from the Raiders during the 1966 AFL Expansion Draft. Rice retired from football after the 1967 season due to a back injury. He was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1989.

Personal life Rice resided in Big Canoe, Georgia, where he had been involved in real estate development since the early 1970s. Rice met Billie Ann Perrin while attending Auburn and the two married on June 20, 1959. Billie Ann Rice died on June 7, 2014, at age 77.