| No. 38, 28, 24 | |||||||||
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| Position | Defensive back | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1975-08-07)August 7, 1975 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died | August 6, 2015(2015-08-06) (aged 39) Allen, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 182 lb (83 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Chadsey(Detroit, Michigan) | ||||||||
| College | Michigan State | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1998: undrafted | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Raymond Millous Hill (August 7, 1975 – August 6, 2015) was a college and professionalAmerican football player.[1] He was adefensive back atMichigan State, and played four seasons in theNational Football League (NFL), splitting three seasons between theMiami Dolphins and theBuffalo Bills. He was signed by theNew England Patriots as afree agent in 2001, and was part of theirSuper Bowl XXXVI championship season. He suffered a leg injury during the 2001 preseason, and was placed on injured reserve for the entire season. His younger brotherRenaldo Hill, also played in the NFL.[2]
Hill attendedChadsey High School inDetroit, Michigan, where he was a three-year starter atdefensive back.
Hill was a three-year starter (1995–1997) for theMichigan State Spartans under head coachNick Saban.[3] Hill finished his Spartan career with 115 solo tackles, six interceptions, and four forced fumbles.[4]
A second-teamAll-Big Ten Conference selection in 1997, Hill recorded 68 tackles (two for losses, including a sack), intercepted four passes, and led the team in fumbles caused with three. Hill set a Spartan single-season record for most passes broken up in a season with 16.
Hill originally signed with theBuffalo Bills as an undrafted rookie free agent on April 24, 1998. Hill saw action in four games, all as a reserve, where he totaled three special teams tackles.[5]
Hill was awarded toMiami Dolphins off waivers from the Buffalo Bills on November 19, 1998. Hill played in two regular season games and the first two postseason games of his career with the Dolphins.[6]
In 1999, Hill appeared in all 16 regular season games. Recording one tackle and a pass defense on defense. Hill finished sixth on the team with 14 tackles on special teams, where he also forced a fumble. Hill appeared in both playoff games following the 1999 season in a reserve role.
Hill re-signed with the Dolphins as an exclusive rights free agent on May 5, 2000. During the 2000 season, Hill recorded seven special teams tackles (five solo and two assists), and one pass defensed, before being released by the Dolphins on October 25, 2000.[7]
On December 12, 2000, Hill returned to the Buffalo Bills as a free agent and saw action on special teams during the final five weeks of the season, recording four special teams tackles.[8] After being granted free agency on March 1, 2001, Hill re-signed with the Bills and was waived on June 1, 2001.[9]
On June 11, 2001, Hill was claimed off waivers by theNew England Patriots from the Bills.[9] Hill suffered a leg injury on August 18, 2001, during a preseason game against theCarolina Panthers. On August 28, 2001, Hill was placed on injured reserve.[10]
Ray Hill resided inAllen, Texas as a Juvenile Case Manager until his death in 2015.[11]
Hill died on August 6, 2015, one day before his 40th birthday, from colon cancer.[12]