Raymond Chester

Raymond Tucker Chester (born June 28, 1948) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). After graduating from Douglass High School in Baltimore, Maryland, Chester played college football at the city’s historically Black university Morgan State College (now Morgan State University). He was a member of its undefeated 1967 team and 8-1 1968 team, scoring its only touchdown in the Bears’ historic 1968 victory over Grambling State University at Yankee Stadium.

Drafted as the 24th pick overall in the first round of the 1970 NFL draft, Chester began his NFL career with the Oakland Raiders. Seven touchdown catches and over five hundred receiving yards earned Chester the Rookie of the Year award by the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) and secured the first of four career Pro Bowl selections. A trade in 1973 to the Baltimore Colts led to five seasons with them before returning to Oakland. He was on the Raiders’ 1980 Super Bowl championship team and retired from the NFL following the 1981 season.

After a year off, he played a single-season in 1983 for the Oakland Invaders of the USFL.

Early life Chester was born in Cambridge, Maryland, on June 28, 1948, to Ivy and Bertha Chester, and was the fourth of ten siblings. His passion for sports began during his years at Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore, where he excelled in track, wrestling, and football. He played both offensive and defensive tackle on the football team. He set a Maryland Scholastic Association (MSA) shot put record in 1966. He also set an MSA discus throwing record at Douglass.

College football Chester attended Morgan State, concentrating on football there under the guidance of head coach Earl Banks. He played tight end on offense and defensive end on defense.

As a sophomore, Chester had leg cramping issues, but in the 1968 season, as a junior, Chester caught 20 passes for 500 yards, with four touchdowns. The Bears went 8–1 that year. Chester played in the match-up between Morgan State and Grambling. The historic game was the first of its kind, pitting two historically black colleges against each other on one of the largest stages of that era—Yankee Stadium. In that battle, Chester caught Morgan State’s only touchdown, leading to the Bears’ ultimate 9–7 victory over the Tigers.

It was the first time two historically black colleges or universities played each other in New York City. More than 60,000 people attended the nationally televised game. Morgan had earlier been the first team to integrate the Tangerine Bowl in 1966. In 2011, CBS Sports produced a documentary on the social importance of the game against Grambling.

Chester was selected as an All-American in 1968 and 1969. The Baltimore Sun named Chester its 1968 Maryland College Division all-star at tight end. Chester was a member of the 1970 College All-Star team.

In 2004 he was inducted into the Morgan State University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Professional career

Oakland Raiders and Baltimore Colts Chester was selected with the 24th pick in the first round of the 1970 NFL draft by the Oakland Raiders legendary owner Al Davis. He and Davis remained close friends until the latter’s death in 2011. Along with his 42 receptions, 556 yards, and 7 touchdowns, his performance earned him his first of four Pro Bowl selections (1970-1972, 1979), He was third in the Associated Press's (AP) rookie of the year voting.

Chester was acquired by his hometown Baltimore Colts from the Raiders for All-Pro defensive end Bubba Smith on July 16, 1973. During his five seasons with the Colts he racked up 2,123 yards receiving, 11 touchdowns, and was a key contributor to the team winning three division titles in 1975-77. An outstanding blocker, he often drew criticism for dropped passes and was disgruntled with team management throughout his time with the Colts.

Chester returned to the Raiders after being traded along with a 1979 second-round pick (33rd overall–traded to Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Dave Pear) from the Colts for Mike Siani and a 1979 third-round selection (72nd overall–traded to Houston Oilers), on July 21, 1978. He had his best statistical season in 1979, with 712 reception yards and eight touchdowns.

After the 1981 season, with an impending move to Los Angeles by the Raiders, Chester decided to retire from the NFL. He finished his 12-year career, playing in 172 games, with 364 receptions, 5,013 years (13.8 yards per catch), and 48 touchdowns. He became involved in the development of a new league, the United States Football League (USFL), which consisted of 18 teams, with one coming to Oakland. Chester came out of retirement and played a single season with the Oakland Invaders in 1983. He caught 68 passes for 951 yards and five touchdowns. After retiring from the Invaders, he took a front office job with the team as vice president of communications and marketing

An avid golfer, Chester managed the Lake Chabot Golf Course for 20 years. In 2018, Chester was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame. In 2016, he was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame.

In 2014, a campaign was launched by the Black Sports Legends Foundation to get Chester elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well. At that time, Chester said: "I think it’s time that the Hall of Fame selection committee go back and recognize some of the guys who were absolutely the best player in their era...And no one can dispute that I was one of the top three players at my position in my era. No one can dispute that."