12 Facts About Ray Flaherty

Raymond Paul Flaherty was an American professional football player and coach who spent 18 total seasons in the National Football League as both a player and a coach.

Ray Flaherty played college football for the Gonzaga Bulldogs and played for the Los Angeles Wildcats of the American Football League and the New York Yankees and New York Giants of the NFL.

Ray Flaherty was a member of three NFL championship teams, one with the Giants in 1934 and two as Redskins head coach in 1937 and 1942, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1976.

Ray Flaherty competed on the Gonzaga Bulldogs track and field, baseball, and basketball teams in addition to playing football.

Ray Flaherty began his professional football career in 1926 with the Los Angeles Wildcats of the American Football League, a team of western players based in Illinois.

Ray Flaherty then played in the National Football League for eight seasons, first with the Yankees with Red Grange, until the franchise folded following the 1928 season.

Ray Flaherty joined the New York Giants, 1929 through the 1935 season, except for 1930, when he returned to Spokane as the head coach at his alma mater, Gonzaga.

Ray Flaherty coached the Bulldog basketball team for a season.

In 1930, Flaherty played minor league baseball as a second baseman with the Providence Grays of the Eastern League.

In seven seasons at the helm of the Redskins, Ray Flaherty won four division titles and two NFL Championships.

Ray Flaherty served as an officer in the US Navy during World War II, then returned to pro football in 1946 as a head coach in the new All-America Football Conference.

Ray Flaherty was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1976 for his contributions as a coach.