Raymond Chester

Raymond Tucker Chester (born June 28, 1948) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). After graduating from Douglass High School in Baltimore, Maryland, Chester played college football at the city’s historically Black university Morgan State. He was a member of its undefeated 1968 team, scoring its only touchdown in the Bears’ historic victory over Grambling at Yankee Stadium.

Raymond Chester

Chester in 1977
No. 87, 88
Position:	Tight end
Personal information
Born:	(1948-06-28) June 28, 1948 (age 76) Cambridge, Maryland, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	232 lb (105 kg)
Career information
High school:	Baltimore (MD) Frederick Douglass
College:	Morgan State
NFL draft:	1970 / round: 1 / pick: 24
Career history
Oakland Raiders (1970–1972) Baltimore Colts (1973–1977) Oakland Raiders (1978–1981) Oakland Invaders (1983)
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (XV) First-team All-Pro (1979) 4× Pro Bowl (1970–1972, 1979) All-USFL (1983)
Career NFL statistics
Games played: 172 Starts: 131 Receptions: 364 Receiving yards: 5,013 Receiving TDs: 48 Stats at Pro Football Reference

Drafted as the 24th pick overall in the first round of the 1970 NFL draft, Chester began his NFL career with the Oakland Raiders. Seven touchdown catches and over five hundred receiving yards earned Chester the Rookie of the Year award and secured the first of four career Pro Bowl selections. A trade in 1973 to the Baltimore Colts led to five seasons with them before returning to Oakland. He was on the Raiders’ 1980 Super Bowl championship team and retired from the NFL following the 1981 season.

After a year off, he played a single-season in 1983 for the Oakland Invaders of the USFL.

Early years

Chester was born in Cambridge, Maryland, the fourth of ten siblings of Ivy and Bertha Chester. His passion for sports began during his years at Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore, where he excelled in track, wrestling, and football. He moved on to Morgan State, concentrating on football there under the guidance of head coach Earl Banks.

During one of the Bears’ three unbeaten seasons in 1968, Chester played in the match-up between Morgan State and Grambling. The historic game was the first of its kind, pitting two historically black colleges against each other on one of the largest stages of that era—Yankee Stadium.

In that battle, Chester hauled in Morgan State’s only touchdown, leading to the Bears’ ultimate 9–7 victory over the Tigers.

Chester was a member of the 1970 College All-Star team.

Professional career

Chester selected with the 24th pic in the first round of the 1970 NFL draft by the Oakland Raiders legendary owner Al Davis. He started in his rookie season, contributing to the Raiders’ 8-4-2 season and their appearance in the AFC Division Playoffs. Along with his 42 receptions, 556 yards, and 7 touchdowns, his performance earned him his first of four Pro Bowl selections. He and Davis remained close friends until the latter’s death in 2011.

Chester was acquired by his hometown Baltimore Colts from the Raiders for All-Pro defensive end Bubba Smith on July 16, 1973.^[1] During his five seasons with the Colts he racked up 2,123 yards receiving, 11 touchdowns, and was a key contributor to the team winning division titles in ’75, ’76, and ’77. An outstanding blocker, he often drew criticism for dropped passes and was disgruntled with team management throughout his time with the Colts.^[2]

Chester returned to the Raiders after being traded along with a 1979 second-round pick (33rd overall–traded to Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Dave Pear) from the Colts for Mike Siani and a 1979 third-round selection (72nd overall–traded to Houston Oilers) on July 21, 1978.^[2][3] He had his best statistical season in 1979, with 712 reception yards and eight touchdowns. The following year, Chester became a champion when the Raiders defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XV (27-10).

After the 1981 season, with an impending move to Los Angeles by the Raiders, Chester decided to retire from the NFL.

He became involved in the development of a new league, the United States Football League (USFL), which consisted of 18 teams, with one coming to Oakland. Chester came out of retirement and played a single season with the Oakland Invaders in 1983. The team won the Pacific division and Chester earned the USFL Man of the Year award.

NFL career statistics

Legend
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	Games		Receiving
		GP	GS	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD
1970	OAK	14	12	42	556	13.2	43	7
1971	OAK	14	14	28	442	15.8	67	7
1972	OAK	13	11	34	576	16.9	68	8
1973	BAL	13	10	18	181	10.1	40	1
1974	BAL	14	14	37	461	12.5	45	1
1975	BAL	14	14	38	457	12.0	32	3
1976	BAL	14	14	24	467	19.5	48	3
1977	BAL	14	14	31	556	17.9	78	3
1978	OAK	16	0	13	146	11.2	27	2
1979	OAK	14	13	58	712	12.3	39	8
1980	OAK	16	10	28	366	13.1	47	4
1981	OAK	16	5	13	93	7.2	15	1
		172	131	364	5,013	13.8	78	48

Playoffs

Year	Team	Games		Receiving
		GP	GS	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD
1970	OAK	2	2	4	83	20.8	35	0
1972	OAK	1	1	3	40	13.3	19	0
1975	BAL	1	1	0	0	0.0	0	0
1976	BAL	1	1	3	42	14.0	24	0
1977	BAL	1	1	1	30	30.0	30	0
1980	OAK	4	4	12	202	16.8	65	1
		10	10	23	397	17.3	65	1

Post NFL

An avid golfer, Chester managed the Lake Chabot Golf Course for 20 years. Currently he acts as a consultant for golf course development and management. He is a member of the Maryland Athlete Hall of Fame as well as the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

In 2014, a campaign was launched by the Black Sports Legends Foundation to get Chester elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well. At that time, Chester said: "I think it’s time that the Hall of Fame selection committee go back and recognize some of the guys who were absolutely the best player in their era...And no one can dispute that I was one of the top three players at my position in my era. No one can dispute that."

References

1. "Colts Trade Smith to Raiders for Chester," The Associated Press (AP), Monday, July 16, 1973. Retrieved October 28, 2020
2. Miller, Jim (July 21, 1978). "Colts Trade Chester to Oakland for Siani". The Evening Sun. p. C5. Retrieved January 18, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
3. 1979 NFL Draft Pick Transactions, May 3 (Rounds 1–6) & 4 (Rounds 7–12) – Pro Sports Transactions. Retrieved October 28, 2020