Ryan Bethea
{{short description|American-football player (born 1967)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Ryan Bethea
| image =
| number =
| position = Wide receiver
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|3|26}}
| birth_place = Dillon, South Carolina, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lbs = 205
| high_school = Richland Northeast
(Columbia, South Carolina)
| college = South Carolina (1985–1987)
| suppdraftyear = 1988
| suppdraftround = 5
| pastteams =
- Minnesota Vikings ({{NFL Year|1988}})
- Charlotte Rage ({{AFL Year|1992}}–{{AFL Year|1993}})
| pastcoaching =
- Bergen Storm (2009–2010)
| highlights =
- AFL All-Star ({{AFL Year|1993}})
| aflstatlabel1 = Receptions
| aflstatvalue1 = 118
| aflstatlabel2 = Receiving yards
| aflstatvalue2 = 1,330
| aflstatlabel3 = Receiving TDs
| aflstatvalue3 = 24
| afl = Ryan_Bethea-129
}}
Ryan Leymone Bethea (born March 26, 1967) is a former American football wide receiver who played two seasons with the Charlotte Rage of the Arena Football League (AFL). He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 1988 NFL supplemental draft. He played college football at the University of South Carolina.
Early life and college
Ryan Leymone Bethea was born on March 26, 1967, in Dillon, South Carolina. He attended Richland Northeast High School in Columbia, South Carolina.{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/b/beth00800.html | title=Ryan Bethea | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=29 January 2025}}
Bethea was a three-year letterman for the South Carolina Gamecocks from 1985 to 1987. In 1988, he was suspended indefinitely from the Gamecocks over drug-related charges.{{Cite news |date=February 6, 1988 |title=S. C. receiver arrested, suspended indefinitely |work=Wilmington Morning Star |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1454&dat=19880206&id=jII1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=ExQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3916,1665805&hl=en |access-date=July 22, 2015 |via=Google News}}{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-02-06-sp-10551-story.html |title=Names in the News |work=Los Angeles Times |date=February 6, 1988 |access-date=March 27, 2017 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722173624/http://articles.latimes.com/1988-02-06/sports/sp-10551_1_ryan-bethea |archive-date=July 22, 2015}} He also lost his amateur status after letting an agent pay for a trip.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune/164228516/ | title=Latest Vikings loss bothers Burns a lot | work=Star Tribune | date=October 18, 1988 | accessdate=29 January 2025 | author=Hartman, Sid}}
Professional career
Bethea was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 1988 NFL supplemental draft.{{Cite web |title=1988 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1988/draft.htm |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He signed with the Vikings on October 17, 1988. On October 20, the Star Tribune reported that the Vikings had two weeks to either activate Bethea or release him or they would lose his rights.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune/164228268/ | title=Newest Viking has two weeks to wina job | work=Star Tribune | date=October 20, 1988 | accessdate=29 January 2025 | author=Roe, Jon | pages=3C}} He was promoted to the active roster in early November 1988.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune/164228198/ | title=Vikings | work=Star Tribune | date=November 3, 1988 | accessdate=29 January 2025 | pages=5C}}{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bismarck-tribune/164228362/ | title=Holdouts Viking washouts | work=The Bismarck Tribune | date=November 3, 1988 | agency=Associated Press | accessdate=29 January 2025}} However, he did not play in any games for the Vikings and was placed on injured reserve in November with a pulled hamstring.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune/164228105/ | title=Future awaits youthful Gophers | work=Star Tribune | date=November 12, 1988 | accessdate=29 January 2025 | author=Hartman, Sid | pages=3C}}
Bethea played for the Charlotte Rage from 1992 to 1993, recording 118 receptions and 24 touchdowns on 1,330 receiving yards.{{cite web | url=http://www.arenafan.com/players/Ryan_Bethea-129/ | title=Ryan Bethea - Career Stats | publisher=arenafan.com | accessdate=July 22, 2015}} He earned AFL All-Star honors in 1993.{{cite web | url=http://www.arenafan.com/players/?page=players&player=129&pageview=bio | title=Ryan Bethea - Awards | publisher=arenafan.com | accessdate=July 22, 2015}}
Coaching career
Bethea was head coach of the Bergen Storm from 2009 to 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.bergenstorm.no/klubben/jeg-vil-spille/ |title=Hall of Fame |publisher=bergenstorm.no |accessdate=March 27, 2017 |url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140914151952/http://www.bergenstorm.no/klubben/jeg-vil-spille/ |archivedate=September 14, 2014 |df= }}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://www.justsportsstats.com/footballstatsindex.php?player_id=betherya001&recsort=4 Stats Crew profile]
- [https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/ryan-bethea-1.html College stats]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bethea, Ryan}}
Category:Players of American football from Columbia, South Carolina
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:South Carolina Gamecocks football players
Category:Minnesota Vikings players
Category:Charlotte Rage players
Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen
Category:21st-century American sportsmen