Ray Seals, former NFL star who skipped college football, dead at 59

Former NFL prima Ray Seals, who was champion known for his clip with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers, has died astatine 59. No origin of decease was instantly known. 

Seals is 1 of the past NFL players to ne'er play assemblage football. Most prominently with that favoritism arsenic good is Antonio Gates, alongside existent players Jordan Mailata and Brandon Aubrey. 

Seals played precocious schoolhouse shot astatine Henninger successful Syracuse, New York and took a fewer years disconnected from shot earlier getting backmost connected the gridiron. 

In 1986, helium played for the Empire Football League's Syracuse Express, which led to NFL attention. 

Seals played for 2 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before, splitting 1 twelvemonth with the Lions and Colts. 

Seals past returned to the Buccaneers for 2 much seasons, past 2 much with the Steelers earlier finishing his nonrecreational vocation with the Bengals and Panthers. 

Seals whitethorn besides beryllium remembered for batting a Brett Favre walk backmost to the quarterback, which counted arsenic his archetypal ever completion successful the NFL. 

Over societal media, household subordinate Tiffany Seals shared the quality of Ray's passing. 

'As galore of you already know... it's with a dense bosom to stock the passing of our beloved member Raymond B. Seals,' Tiffany said. 'Words can't explicit the symptom of losing specified a staple successful our family.'

'To the world, helium whitethorn person been known arsenic (Big Play Ray)... for his spot connected the shot field, an NFL subordinate with passion, determination, and heart. But to us, helium was truthful overmuch more. A father, a son, a member a nephew, a cousin, a friend.'

'His beingness filled each room. Losing him leaves a soundlessness that speaks volumes, but his bequest volition everlastingly talk done the memories and the lives helium touched.' 

'Please support our household and particularly his children lifted arsenic we effort to navigate this heavy and highly achy loss. Rest well, #BigPlayRay, you volition ever beryllium loved, and ne'er forgotten.'