Caesar Rayford

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Caesar Rayford

| image = Caesar Rayford.jpg

| caption = Caesar Rayford

| number = 85, 95

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|03|04}}

| birth_place = Fayetteville, North Carolina, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 7

| weight_lbs = 272

| high_school = Spanaway (WA) Bethel

| college = Washington

| undraftedyear = 2008

| pastteams =

BC Lions ({{CFL Year|2008}})*
Spokane Shock ({{af2 Year|2009}})
BC Lions ({{CFL Year|2009}})
Utah Blaze ({{AFL Year|2010}}–{{AFL Year|2013}})
Indianapolis Colts ({{NFL Year|2013}})*
Dallas Cowboys ({{NFL Year|2013}}–{{NFL Year|2014}})
Calgary Stampeders ({{CFL Year|2014}})
Montreal Alouettes ({{CFL Year|2014}})
Jacksonville Sharks ({{AFL Year|2015}})
Minnesota Vikings ({{NFL Year|2015}})*
Los Angeles Kiss ({{AFL Year|2016}})
Saskatchewan Roughriders ({{CFL Year|2016}})*
Tampa Bay Storm ({{AFL Year|2017}})

| pastcoaching =

Atlantic City Blackjacks ({{AFL Year|2019}})
Defensive line & linebackers coach

| status =

| highlights =

First-team All-Arena (2011)

| statlabel1 = Games played

| statvalue1 = 7

| statlabel2 = Total tackles

| statvalue2 = 5

| aflstatlabel1 = Total tackles

| aflstatvalue1 = 90.0

| aflstatlabel2 = Sacks

| aflstatvalue2 = 30.0

| aflstatlabel3 = Forced fumbles

| aflstatvalue3 = 10

| aflstatlabel4 = Pass deflections

| aflstatvalue4 = 19

| aflstatlabel5 = Interceptions

| aflstatvalue5 = 3

| afl = 11136

| cfl-archive = https://web.archive.org/web/20150503052927/http://www.cfl.ca/roster/show/id/3105

| pfr = RayfCa00

}}

Caesar Rayford (born March 4, 1986) is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the BC Lions, Spokane Shock, Utah Blaze, Jacksonville Sharks, Calgary Stampeders, Montreal Alouettes, Los Angeles Kiss and Tampa Bay Storm. He played college football at the University of Washington. He is currently the defensive line and linebackers coach for the Atlantic City Blackjacks.

Early life

Rayford attended Bethel High School. As a senior, he tallied 47 tackles, 8 sacks and 3 blocked field goals. He received All-SPSL South and Tacoma News Tribune's second-team All-area honors.

{{College athlete recruit entry

| recruit = Caesar Rayford

| position = DE/TE

| hometown = Spanaway, Washington

| highschool = Bethel High School

| feet = 6

| inches = 7

| weight = 225

| 40 = 4.56

| commitdate = January 11, 2004

| scout stars = 3

| rivals stars = 2

| espn grade =

}}

{{College athlete recruit end

| 40 = yes

| year = 2004

| rivals ref title = Washington Football Commitment List

| scout ref title = Washington College Football Recruiting Commits

| espn ref title =

| rivals school = washington

| scout s = 147

| espn schoolid =

| scout overall = 30 (TE)

| rivals overall = -- (DE), -- (WA)

| espn overall =

| accessdate = November 12, 2012

}}

College career

Rayford accepted a football scholarship from the University of Washington on January 11, 2004.{{cite news | title=Caesar Rayford | publisher=Yahoo! | work=Rivals.com | date=November 12, 2012}} He chose the Huskies over scholarship offers from Oregon and UCLA.{{cite news | title=Caesar Rayford | publisher=MSNBC | work=scout.com | date=November 12, 2012}} He was originally redshirted as a true freshman, but had to play the last 6 games of the season because of injuries suffered on the defensive line.

As a sophomore, he appeared in 9 games, making 2 tackles and a half sack. As a junior, he appeared in 9 games and made one tackle. As a senior, he appeared in 13 games, registering career-highs with 10 tackles and 4 sacks.

He played a total of 35 career games mainly as a backup defensive end, finishing with 13 tackles (7 solo), 5.5 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, 4 pass breakups, one forced fumble and one blocked kick.

Professional career

=BC Lions (first stint)=

Rayford declared for the 2008 NFL draft, but was not selected and began his career as an undrafted free agent. He was signed by the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League after having a free agent workout. He spent all of the season on the practice squad.

He was released before the start of the season on June 25, 2009.

=Spokane Shock (AF2)=

On July 7, 2009, Rayford joined the Spokane Shock of the AF2 league. He appeared in 3 games (2 starts), collecting 2 tackles (2 for loss), one sack and two pass breakups. He was a part of the ArenaCup X Championship team.

=BC Lions (second stint)=

On November 12, 2009, the BC Lions added Rayford to the practice roster.{{cite news|url=https://www.bclions.com/2009/11/12/lions-welcome-back-caesar-rayford/|title=Lions Welcome Back Caesar Rayford|publisher=BC Lions|accessdate=November 11, 2018}} He was promoted to the active roster on November 13. He played in two playoff games as a backup defensive end, making one tackle. He wasn't re-signed after the season.

=Utah Blaze (AFL)=

In 2010, he signed with the Utah Blaze of the Arena Football League. He recorded 16 tackles, 5 sacks, 2 interceptions (returned for 2 touchdowns), 4 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries.

In 2011, he started 17 out of 18 games, posting 31 tackles, 10 sacks (tied for sixth in the league), 12 tackles for loss (fourth in the league), 7 passes defensed, 3 forced fumbles and 4 fumble recoveries. He also blocked an AFL single-season record five kicks.

In 2012, the Blaze's defensive line was coined "Sack Lake City" due to the tremendous amount of pressure and sacks they applied to quarterbacks.{{cite news |title=Rayford a Leader By Example in Sack Lake City |work=Arena Football League |date=October 30, 2012}} In a game against the Iowa Barnstormers, the Blaze recorded a league record 11 sacks in one game, led by the combination of Rayford and Mike Lewis with 3.5 sacks each. He finished with 18 starts, 21 tackles (7 for loss), 7.5 sacks, 3 pass breakups, one forced fumble and one blocked kick.

In 2013, he registered 13 tackles, 6 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 4 forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and 2 blocked kicks. He finished with 68 tackles (26.5 for loss), 22.5 sacks, 16 passes defensed, 7 forced fumbles, 7 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions returned for touchdowns and 6 blocked kicks.

=Indianapolis Colts=

On May 23, 2013, Rayford signed as a free agent with the Indianapolis Colts to play as an outside linebacker on the team's 3-4 defense.{{cite web |url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/23/colts-sign-outside-linebacker-caesar-rayford/ |title=Colts sign outside linebacker Caesar Rayford |author=Mike Wilkening |date=May 23, 2013 |publisher=NBC Sports |work=www.profootballtalk.nbcsports.com |accessdate=May 24, 2020}}

=Dallas Cowboys=

On September 3, 2013, the Dallas Cowboys acquired him from the Colts after he had a notable preseason, in exchange of a seventh round draft choice (#244-Trenton Brown).{{cite web |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/trade-sends-rayford-to-dallas/n-4678300|title=Trade Sends Rayford to Dallas |date=September 3, 2013 |publisher=OurSports Central |work=www.oursportscentral.com |accessdate=May 24, 2020}} He played in 7 games, before being cut on November 12 and signed to the practice squad.{{cite web | last=Archer | first=Todd | title=Caesar Rayford signed to practice squad | website=ESPN.com | date=2013-11-14 | url=https://www.espn.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4719435/caesar-rayford-signed-to-practice-squad | access-date=2025-03-09}} He was released by the team on August 30, 2014.

=Calgary Stampeders (CFL)=

Rayford was signed to the Calgary Stampeders' practice roster on September 23, 2014. He was released by the Stampeders on September 26, 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/page/transactions |title=Transactions |publisher=cfl.ca |accessdate=May 24, 2020 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205005714/http://www.cfl.ca/page/transactions |archivedate=December 5, 2014 }}

=Montreal Alouettes (CFL)=

Rayford was signed to the Montreal Alouettes' practice roster on October 27, 2014. He was promoted to the active roster on November 1. He was released by the Alouettes on November 24.

=Jacksonville Sharks (AFL)=

Rayford was acquired by the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League through the Off-Season Assignment Process in 2013 and was activated from the Other League Exempt list on January 6, 2015.{{cite web| url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/sharks-add-three-all-arena-defenders-in-flurry-of-moves/n-4680000 | title=Sharks Add Three All-Arena Defenders in Flurry of Moves | accessdate=May 24, 2020}} He spent the entire 2014 season on the Other League Exempt list. He was activated by the Sharks on January 6, 2015.{{cite web| url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/caesar-rayford-activated-from-other-league-exempt/n-4912140 | title=Caesar Rayford Activated from Other League Exempt | accessdate=May 24, 2020}}

=Minnesota Vikings=

On April 2, 2015, he was signed as a free agent by the Minnesota Vikings. He was cut on August 30.

=Los Angeles KISS (AFL)=

On November 18, 2015, he was assigned to the Los Angeles KISS of the Arena Football League. He tallied 3 tackles and one pass defensed. On January 7, 2016, he was placed on the Other League Exempt list.

=Saskatchewan Roughriders (CFL)=

On January 7, 2016, Rayford signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He was released on June 12.

=Tampa Bay Storm (AFL)=

On October 14, 2016, Rayford was selected by the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League during the dispersal draft.{{cite web|url=http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/spec-rel/101416aab.html |title=AFL Holds Dispersal Draft |publisher=arenafootball.com |date=October 14, 2016 |accessdate=May 24, 2020 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161015213835/http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/spec-rel/101416aab.html |archivedate=October 15, 2016}} He had 8 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 passes defensed, one forced fumble, one blocked kick and one interception returned for a touchdown. The franchise folded in December 2017.{{cite web |url=https://www.tampabay.com/blogs/lightning/2017/12/21/tampa-bay-storm-suspending-operations/ |title=Tampa Bay Storm suspending operations |work=Tampa Bay Times |date=December 21, 2017|accessdate=May 24, 2020}}

Personal life

His uncle Otis Sistrunk was a defensive tackle for the Oakland Raiders. On January 31, 2019, he was named the defensive line and linebackers coach for the Arena Football League expansion team Atlantic City Blackjacks.{{cite web| url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/atlantic-city-afl-team-announces-head-coach-coaching-staff/n-5443311 | title=Atlantic City AFL Team Announces Head Coach, Coaching Staff | accessdate=May 24, 2020}}