Ray Buchanan 1971–

Professional football player

Ray Buchanan, a Pro Bowl cornerback, is respected a-round the National Football League (NFL) as one of its best cover men. Throughout his nine-year professional football career, which started with the Indianapolis Colts in 1993, Buchanan has made steady improvement by playing his best games against the league’s best wide receivers, including Jerry Rice, Randy Moss and Terrell Owens. A devout Christian, Buchanan is among the many professional athletes who are not afraid to express themselves by worshipping Jesus Christ. No one should take Buchanan’s love for Christ as a weakness; in fact, Buchanan is not so meek. He is among the NFL’s more bold and brash players, who are not afraid to express themselves during games. Nicknamed “Big Play Ray,” he is considered one of the more physical cornerbacks in the league. Buchanan’s personality is an oxymoron: a combination of cockiness and true, from-the-heart humility. “The only person I fear is God,” Buchanan told the Associated Press. “Everybody else is a pea in the pod.”

Ray Buchanan was born in Chicago, Illinois, on September 29, 1971. His mother and father, who made sure that they attended church services each week, raised Ray and his two brothers in a God-fearing home. At age 12, Buchanan accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, but struggled with the lifestyle change throughout his college years.

Even as a youngster, Buchanan had shown promise in football, while he attended Proviso East High School in suburban Chicago. It was where Buchanan excelled as a running back, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Richard, who played collegiately at Northwestern University. At Proviso East, Ray Buchanan was a solid two-way player, as a running back and safety. From 1985–88, Buchanan earned four letters on the varsity football team.

After a stellar prep career, Buchanan signed with the University of Louisville, after being heavily recruited by several major college programs. According to the Atlanta Falcons’ 2001 media guide, Buchanan actually considered transferring from Louisville when the coaches switched him from running back to free safety; but little did Buchanan know that the switch would help to enhance his chances to play in the National Football League. At Louisville, Buchanan’s star quality led the resurgence of a program that had struggled before his arrival. Buchanan persevered, making his mark in the

At a Glance…

Born Raymond Louis Buchanan, September 29, 1971, in Chicago, Illinois; married Sheree; children: Destinee, Ray, Jr., and Baylen. Education: University of Louisville. Religion: Christian.

Career: Professional football player. Drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 1993; signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an unrestricted free agent in 1997; played in Super Bowl XXXIII; entered the 2001 National Football League season having started 114 of the 125 games that he has played.

Awards: Named to the NFL All-Rookie Team in 1993; American Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week, December 4, 1994; United Press International All-AFC Second Team selection; was a starter in the Pro Bowl for the National Football Conference in 1998.

Address: Team-Atlanta Falcons, One Falcon Place, Suwannee, GA 30024.

Cardinals program. As a three year starter, Buchanan registered 273 career tackles, 177 solo tackles, 15 interceptions for 159 yards, 13 passes defended, three fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles and six blocked kicks. Buchanan also saved the best for last: as a senior, he was named the Fiesta Bowl’s Defensive Most Valuable Player, while leading the Cardinals to a 34–7 victory over Alabama. In that game, Buchanan had a fumble recovery for a touchdown, off a blocked punt and another recovered fumble.

Buchanan’s impressive play was enough to get him selected in the third-round by the Indianapolis Colts, who made him the 65th overall choice in the 1993 National Football League Draft. He became a starter late in the 1993 season, starting the last five games. Buchanan had made an impact in the Colts’ defense, so much, that he was named to several American Football Conference All-Rookie teams. By 1994, as a second-year player in the NFL, Buchanan’s play was gaining all types of momentum. That year, he had eight interceptions—three for touchdowns—which tied him for the league-lead with Deion Sanders, who was with the San Francisco 49ers.

While Sanders was the preeminent cornerback in the NFL, Buchanan had earned some recognition. Like Sanders, who entered the league four years earlier than him, Buchanan was making plays and the entire league was noticing. When the Colts advanced to the 1995 American Football Conference championship game, Buchanan’s ability had placed him into the spotlight. Following the 1997 season, Buchanan had earned some respect. Knowing that he would be sought after on the free agent market, the Colts organization named him a transition player, which guaranteed him the average of the top ten cornerbacks’ salaries. When the Atlanta Falcons made him a &13 million contract offer, the Colts were unable to match and on March 3, 1997, the Falcons signed Buchanan.

In his second season with the Falcons, he helped to lead the Falcons into the National Football Conference championship game against the heavily favored Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings featured Cris Carter and Randy Moss, two of the league’s most feared receivers. Buchanan was matched with Carter, but when his teammate, Michael Booker struggled with Moss, Buchanan demanded a switch. Recalling the situation, Booker told the Associated Press, “I remember vividly in the game when I came up to (Ray) and said, ‘Man, that Randy Moss cat is fast.’ Ray says, ‘He ain’t fast! I can take him!’ I couldn’t believe it. (Ray) really wanted to play Randy Moss man-to-man all over the field.” Buchanan held Moss to only one catch in the second half; The switch helped the Falcons, who upset the Vikings and advanced to Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami, Florida. “If I can go out there and cut you with a butter knife and find out you bleed, then I know you’re human,” Buchanan was quoted in an Associated Press story.

Buchanan’s bravado hurled him into a spotlight that many athletes shun. While appearing on the television show, Inside The NFL, Buchanan predicted that the Falcons would beat the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII, which was perceived as a “guarantee.” Understanding that the Falcons were a decided underdog, Buchanan donned a spiked dog collar. The Broncos defeated the Falcons, 34–19, and in some circles, Buchanan was considered the “goat.”

“When I did say it, it was more out of fun,” Buchanan told the Associated Press. “But once you get in the boxing ring, you’re not going to back away from a fight. That’s the situation I’m in now.” Buchanan also got into a war of words with Denver Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe. On the final day that the players spoke to the media, Buchanan and Sharpe exchanged harsh barbs. “Shannon can talk, but Shannon looks like a horse, that’s what I’d tell him,” Buchanan told the Savannah Morning News.

During that same Super Bowl, Buchanan’s compassionate side was displayed when his teammate, Eugene Robinson was arrested the night before the game for soliciting a prostitute. In his darkest moment, many Falcon players ripped into Robinson. Not Buchanan, who came to his defense. After the Super Bowl loss, Buchanan, quoted at sportsjones.com, said: “My job is to embrace him. I’m not going to tear him down. You can’t blame him for this football game, either. If anyone hasn’t sinned before, I’d like to meet him.”

During his career, Buchanan tried to display his Christian values in a very unique way. Though he had dedicated his life to Christ at age 12, Buchanan had lost his way during his formative years. In Buchanan’s biography on the website, www.thegoal.com, Buchanan said, “I believe the Lord knew my heart … in 1996, I began to seriously study the Bible.” Now that Buchanan’s life is so Christ-centered, he has friendly exchanges with teammates about how God wanted people to represent him.

In March of 2001, Buchanan signed a &36 million contract, making him the highest-paid cornerback in the league. As he is blessed, Buchanan has touched others through the Ray Buchanan Foundation, which provides all types of activities for underprivileged youths. A rap artist, Buchanan released an album entitled, Favor and had a single released on the NFL Jams CD, both in 1998.