| No. 77, 73, 56 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Center | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | (1941-01-21)January 21, 1941 Bakersfield, California, U.S. | ||||||
| Died: | November 3, 1996(1996-11-03) (aged 55) Grand Canyon,Arizona, U.S. | ||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 250 lb (113 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Kennewick(Kennewick, Washington) | ||||||
| College: | Washington | ||||||
| NFL draft: | 1963: 2nd round, 18th pick | ||||||
| AFL draft: | 1963: 5th round, 37th pick | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Burt James Ray Mansfield (January 21, 1941 – November 3, 1996), nicknamed "Ranger", was an American professionalfootball player who was acenter in theNational Football League (NFL) for thePhiladelphia Eagles andPittsburgh Steelers.[1][2][3] He playedcollege football for theWashington Huskies.
Born inBakersfield, California, Mansfield grew up inKennewick, Washington, and graduated fromKennewick High School in 1959. He playedcollege football at theUniversity of Washington inSeattle under head coachJim Owens. During his sophomore season in1960, the Huskies won theRose Bowl 17–7 over top-rankedMinnesota. After his senior season in1962, he participated in theEast-West Shrine Game.[4] Mansfield is a member of the UW Athletic Hall of Fame.[3][4]
Mansfield was the 18th overall selection in the1963 NFL draft, taken by theEagles in the second round, and played for them for one season. He was also selected in theAFL draft, in the fifth round by theDenver Broncos.[3]
Mansfield moved to the Steelers in1964 and played left defensive tackle for two years. He switched to offense and was their starting center for a decade, from1966 until1976,[5] and was a key member of the Steelers'Super Bowl-winning teams of the1974 and1975 seasons. In his last season as a Steeler, he kicked theextra point on the Steelers' final touchdown in a playoff game atBaltimore,[6][7] afterRoy Gerela pulled a groin muscle. Mansfield was also aplacekicker in college and for three college all-star teams.[8][9]
Mansfield played in 182 consecutive games,[3][10] and was succeeded at center byMike Webster.
"Ray was a special person," former Steeler coachChuck Noll said. "He was one of the guys who was a Steeler when I arrived in1969, and he was great in the locker room. He was a guy that everybody rallied around. He always had a certain amount of levity, but he was a tremendous football player."[3]
He retired from pro football in July 1977,[11] and went on to a successful career as an insurance broker in the Pittsburgh area, previously his off-season job.[3]
Known by his Steeler teammates as "Ranger" for his love of the outdoors, Mansfield died at age 55 from aheart attack while hiking with his son in theGrand Canyon inArizona in November 1996.[1][3][10][12][13] He was buried at Desert Lawn Memorial Park in his hometown of Kennewick.
