Ray Jacobs

Herschel Ray Jacobs (November 21, 1938 – November 15, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the American Football League (AFL) for the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins and Boston Patriots. He played college football at Howard Payne University.

Early life Jacobs was born on November 21, 1938, in Corsicana, Texas, to Myrtle and Arvel Lee Jacobs. He was one of ten children. He worked in cotton fields before and after school growing up. As a senior in 1956, he received the Daiches Award as the team's most valuable lineman; and was named to the All-District 8 AAA first team at tackle. He had knee injury issues as early as high school. Jacobs was also on the school's track team, including winning discus throwing competitions. He graduated high school weighing 226 lb (102.5 kg). Jacobs once said he was ejected from 10 games at Navarro because of his temper. He was All-Conference in track. where he played offensive tackle, guard and defensive tackle. He was a two-time NAIA All-American and a three-time Lone Star Conference selection. He was an Associated Press first-team Little All American tackle in 1961. He was also reported to be a Little All America selection in 1960, but other sources indicate he was not. During one season at Howard Payne, he was ejected from nine of the 11 games in which he played. He was reported to be 6 ft 4 in 283 lb (128.4 kg) as a senior. He was inducted to the Navarro College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021.

Professional career

1962 draft and the Houston Oilers Jacobs was selected by the Houston Oilers in the first round (7th overall) of the 1962 AFL draft and was also selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventeenth round (228th overall) of the 1962 NFL draft. Jacobs had signed a contract with the Oilers on November 29, 1961, days before the AFL draft. The Cowboys still pursued him under the theory that signing before the draft made the contract invalid, themselves signing a contract with Jacobs on December 4. The Oilers stated that the time of the signing did not effect its legality, as it was not part of a disavowed secret AFL draft.

While Jacobs was in a Waco, Texas hospital with a knee infection resulting from a blood clot that required surgery, two Cowboys' team representatives, allegedly along with baseball legend Mickey Mantle, had come to Jacobs' room after visiting hours and got him to sign a contract with the Cowboys. (There is no question that Mantle met with Jacobs at some point, as the Houston Post printed a photograph of Mantle visiting Jacobs in Brownwood, Texas during the winter of 1961-62.) Jacobs said the Cowboys told him that if the Oilers' contract was held valid, the Cowboys would not seek to enforce their contract.

Jacobs came to the Oilers training camp during the first week of August 1962. Less than two weeks later, however, he had knee surgery for the torn cartilage he had suffered in the practice game against the Bears. Rather than cut him, the Oilers agreed to keep him on the team. During the 1963 Oilers training camp, besides playing defensive end, In 1963, Jacobs played at left defensive end, starting four of the seven games in which he appeared. In 1964, the Broncos moved him to left defensive tackle, where he started 13 games and had 3.5 quarterback sacks that season. In 1965, Jacobs started all 14 games for the Broncos at left tackle again. He had five quarterback sacks. The Associated Press and Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) both named him second-team All-AFL in 1965. In 1966, he started seven of the 11 games in which he appeared, with two sacks.

Miami Dolphins (1967-68) On May 4, 1967, he was traded to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for tight end Bill Cronin. He was listed at 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 285 lb (129 kg) when playing for the Dolphins. The team voted him their best defensive lineman in 1967. In 1968, although he was limited during the season with multiple injuries, he started 11 games at right defensive tackle. He had two sacks,

Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills, Boston Patriots (1969) On March 4, 1969, he was traded to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for an undisclosed draft choice (not exercised). The Raiders released Jacobs before the start of the season, on September 9, 1969. Later in September 1969, he was signed by the Buffalo Bills to their development (taxi) squad, but did not play for the Bills during the season.

In 1969, he played in eight games for the Patriots, starting five at left defensive end. In his first game after being activated, on October 26 he recovered two fumbles against the New York Jets. On November 9, he recovered a blocked punt against the Dolphins. He was injured in the last game of the season against the Houston Oilers, suffering disc damage on his back requiring surgery. Over his career, he started 65 games, with 16.5 sacks. He later taught and coached at Corsicana High School, Navarro College, and Ranger Junior College; and then worked worked for 20 years as a probation officer in Navarro County, Texas.

Jacobs died on November 15, 2021, at the age of 81.