When Mel Gray attended the University of Missouri in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the college game was dominated by running backs.
Passing, with the rare exception of a few outliers, was almost nonexistent in most programs.
Thus, Gray left Missouri with all of 67 career receptions and 14 touchdowns.
He also broke records and won several conference titles as a sprinter for the Tigers.
Thinking he was heading to the Vietnam War, Gray was surprised when he learned he was selected by the then-St. Louis Cardinals in the sixth round of the 1971 NFL Draft.
Happy birthday Mel Gray 8⃣5⃣!
The former #Mizzou and Big Red great scored 46 TDs and averaged almost 19 yards per catch in his 12-year NFL career, all in St. Louis.
Gray was a 4x Pro Bowler and named All-Pro in 1975 when he led the league with 11 TDs. pic.twitter.com/eb6pSYjxcc
— St. Louis Football Cardinals (@BigRed_STL) September 29, 2024
During his pro career, Gray became one of the best receivers in the game and tallied 351 receptions and 45 touchdowns.
He was also a four-time Pro Bowler and co-led the NFL in touchdown receptions in 1975.
This is the story of Mel Gray.
Two-Sport Star
Melvin Dean Gray was born on September 29, 1948, in Fresno, California.
Happy Birthday Mel Gray, Mizzou And Big Red Legend, 6th Round Draft Pick who was selected to 4 straight Pro Bowls 74-77: 70 Today… pic.twitter.com/WpbgEMmoEb
— Larry in Missouri (@LarryInMissouri) September 28, 2018
Although he would always be small in stature, Gray’s athletic talents were larger than life.
As a student attending Montgomery High School in Santa Rosa, California, he was a two-sport star.
Initially, Gray’s athletic pursuits were limited to track season only.
That changed when a coach asked him why he wasn’t suiting up for football during Gray’s sophomore year.
“I lied and told him I couldn’t afford the insurance,” Gray said. “My mother didn’t want me to play football. The coach said he would pay it anyway.”
Gray was able to avoid the wrath of his mom for the first few games of his junior season.
Because of his elite speed, the youngster was a starter for the Vikings and regularly got his name in the local paper.
Thankfully, the sports reporters used “Mel” instead of his given name, “Melvin.”
That slight alteration saved Gray from a severe scolding until the jig was up.
“She never made the connection,” Gray said. “And when I would get home late from practice or a game, I’d tell her I was hanging out with my friends doing nothing. She believed it. Until she found out.”
His mother was angry but acquiesced and decided to watch her son play in his next game.
That just happened to be the contest where he was laid low by a brutal tackle that knocked the wind out of him.
The next thing he knew, Gray’s mother had dashed out of her seat and went onto the field to check on her son.
“Talk about being embarrassed,” Gray said.
National Record Holder
By the spring of 1967, Gray’s name in the state of California was synonymous with pure speed.
He wasn’t only a threat on the gridiron, but his personal bests in the 100 and 200-meter dashes in track kept falling like a rock.
During a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) meet that year, he set a National High School record in the 200 with a blazing time of 20.7 seconds.
Happy Birthday Mel Gray, out of @MizzouFootball ; set National HS record in 100 yard dash in 1967 ( 9.4) 6th Round Draft Choice, 12 year @NFL career all with St Louis Cardinals, 4X Pro Bowl, 1st Team All Pro 1975, 351 receptions, 6,644 yards, 45 TD’s; 72 Today… pic.twitter.com/s8PsqEjNBn
— Larry in Missouri (@LarryInMissouri) September 28, 2020
Then, he tied the great Jesse Owens with a national record time of 9.4 seconds in the 100.
Gray’s marks brought instant credibility and a spot as a 1968 Olympic Team alternate.
Gray Heads to Missouri
Gray was eagerly sought after by the big schools in the state, but he ran with the wrong crowd in high school and his mother wanted him to hit the road.
“I wasn’t a bad kid, but I got in trouble a lot because of the guys I hung out with. My mother wanted me to leave. I could have gone to USC or UCLA, but my mother said, ‘no, I want you out of California.’ And Mizzou was the only school who would let me play football and run track,” said Gray.
After spending a season at Ft. Scott Junior College in Kansas, Gray matriculated to the University of Missouri, although the beginning of his time in Columbia was rough.
“When I signed with Missouri it was 80 degrees and sunny. But by November (1968) it was 10 degrees. I never experienced anything like it. I stayed in my room for two weeks under an electric blanket. One day, the coaches knocked on my door and asked me why I wasn’t in class. I said ‘have you been outside?’ So they went over and looked in my closet, looked at each other, and then left. I climbed back under the covers and thought they were going to send my butt home! But they came back later with boxes of thermal underwear, sweaters, socks, scarves, jackets… It definitely took a while to get used to the cold weather!” recalled Gray.
In 1968, Gray played in 10 games for head coach Dan Devine and caught 14 passes for 337 yards and three touchdowns and added another score on the ground.
Two St Louis and Missouri Legends! Mel Gray & Johnny Roland! pic.twitter.com/fbYGNLAIoB
— Derek King 🎙 (@DerekKingSports) August 9, 2019
One year later, he was an All-Big-Eight selection after snagging 25 passes for 705 yards and nine touchdowns in 1969, a program record.
Gray also led the entire nation in average yards per catch with 27.1.
The Tigers won nine games but lost to Penn State in the Orange Bowl.
Double Threat
Just as he did in high school, Gray played two sports for the Tigers, also running track each spring.
Between 1968 and 1970, he was recognized as an All-American for his marks during the indoor and outdoor track seasons.
Gray competed in the 60, 100, and 220-meter dashes and was a five-time Big-Eight Conference champion.
He beat all comers in the 100-meter events at national meets in Kansas, Texas and the Drake Relays in Iowa, all in 1970, taking home the title of “Grand Slam” champion.
By the time he wrapped his college running career, Gray was a Missou co-record holder in all three of his events.
During his final season of football in 1970, Gray caught 27 passes for 449 yards and two scores while the Tigers dropped to 5-6.
Birthday wishes go out to former #Mizzou and @BigRed_STL star wide receiver Mel Gray, who was enshrined in our Class of 2013.
Read about Mel here:https://t.co/pTht3PwYCN pic.twitter.com/ZptOlqWUuK
— St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame (@STLSportsHOF) September 29, 2024
As a collegian, Gray had totals of 67 receptions for 1,491 yards and 14 touchdowns (the latter stats were a Tigers record at the time).
He also had 112 rushing yards and three rushing scores.
Since leaving Columbia, Gray has been inducted into the University of Missouri Hall of Fame and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
In 1990, he was voted to the Tigers’ All-Century Team.
Surprise Draft Pick
Shortly after his college career ended, Gray was invited to the 1971 East-West Shrine Game and played well.
“I played in the East-West Shrine Game (1971) which is in Palo Alto. I had two touchdowns… returned the opening kickoff. Dan Pastorini threw me another touchdown. He got Most Valuable Player,” said Gray.
Even though he excelled at Missouri, and was well known for his top-end speed, Gray believed his athletics career was finished.
“…all the NFL scouts said I was too small,” he said, “and I would never be drafted.”
He returned to California and worked at a bookstore in San Francisco while waiting for the call to announce he would be drafted.
Only this particular draft would send him to the Vietnam War.
To his complete surprise, one day a friend told Gray he had indeed been drafted, except it was the St. Louis Cardinals that wanted him.
January 28, 1971
The Big Red selected future Hall of Famer Dan Dierdorf (2nd), Norm Thompson (1st), Mel Gray (6th), and Ron Yankowski (8th) in the 1971 NFL Draft. #BigRedDraft pic.twitter.com/C9ovcOZJ54
— St. Louis Football Cardinals (@BigRed_STL) January 28, 2024
The 147th overall pick in the sixth round of the 1971 NFL Draft was going back to Missouri.
When he arrived at the Cardinals’ team headquarters to negotiate his first contract, management tried to lowball him.
Gray thought he was worth a million dollars and management countered with $13,000.
“I don’t know how much a football player is supposed to make, but my wife makes more than that and she teaches school,” said Gray.
The Cards increased his amount to $21,000 plus a $6,000 bonus.
December 12, 1971
Pete Beathard threw this 80 yard bomb to Mel Gray, but the Big Red lost to the Eagles 19-7.
In the locker room after the game MacArthur Lane made some not so flattering comments about Bill Bidwill and never played another game for the Cardinals. pic.twitter.com/Uvqpzul3ax
— St. Louis Football Cardinals (@BigRed_STL) December 13, 2023
Satisfied, Gray started out the door before then-owner Bill Bidwill told him had had three more contracts to sign.
After signing, Gray took the documents home and only then took a good, hard look at what was detailed in the contracts.
“I found out it went from $21,000 to $17,500, to $18,500, to $19,500. I called Bidwill and said, ‘this is bull ****.’ He said, ‘Well, you signed them, you have to honor them,”’ said Gray.
Cards’ Rookie of the Year
The new receiver felt slighted by Bidwill and confronted the owner.
In turn, Bidwill challenged Gray.
“I tell you what,” Gray recalled Bidwill telling him. “I’ll make you a gentleman’s agreement. All you have to do is make rookie of the year for this team and I’ll tear those contracts up.”
The odds were stacked against Gray reaching such a lofty award, especially when he reported to training camp and found out he was one of 18 receivers.
Still, he scratched and clawed, made the team and played in 14 games, starting five.
Gray caught 18 passes for 534 yards and four touchdowns in 1971 and added 740 yards on 30 kick returns.
Mel Gray Scores First TDs
October 3, 1971
Mel Gray’s first two NFL receptions go for 60 and 64 yard touchdowns, but the Cardinals lost 21-20 to the Giants.
Gray averaged a remarkable 29.7 yards per catch his rookie season.#BigRed1970s pic.twitter.com/XYIVD3kYBK
— St. Louis Football Cardinals (@BigRed_STL) October 3, 2024
At season’s end, he was voted the Cardinals’ Rookie of the Year by his teammates.
Gray went back to Bidwill, and to the receiver’s dismay, was rebuffed again.
“I later go talk to Bidwill and he said they had a price freeze and couldn’t renegotiate,” said Gray. “I said, ’I don’t know sh** about a price freeze, but you and I had an agreement!’ He turned and walked away. I said, ‘we had a handshake. You mean your handshake isn’t worth…’ He never turned around.”
Coming Into His Own
In 1972, Gray was limited to only one start in seven games, leading to a career-low three receptions.
Then, in 1973, Don Coryell was hired to become the new head coach of the Cardinals.
Jackie Smith Sets Franchise Mark
October 28, 1973
Jim Hart threw 4 TD passes in a 35-27 win over the Giants at Busch Stadium.Mel Gray scored on 41 and 55-yard bombs, and Jackie Smith caught his 419th pass, making him the all-time Cardinals pass receiver.#BigRed1970s pic.twitter.com/Pi7m2QY3rn
— St. Louis Football Cardinals (@BigRed_STL) October 29, 2024
Coryell had previously led the San Diego State University Aztecs football team for over a decade and revolutionized the passing game.
During his tenure, SDSU became known for its pass-happy offense.
The idea of Coryell transforming the St. Louis offense was appealing to both Gray and quarterback Jim Hart.
Although the Cards won only four games in ‘73, Gray caught 29 passes for seven touchdowns.
The game was different in the 1970s. No flag on this Mel Gray spike! 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/DFn4LK7o1w
— St. Louis Football Cardinals (@BigRed_STL) February 11, 2023
The following season, St. Louis went 10-4 and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
Gray and Hart connected often enough, though it took some effort for the quarterback to hit his speedy teammate.
“People ask me about throwing the ball deep to Mel. And I say, ‘I throw it as far and as deep as I can.’ And people say, ‘That’s not right.’ I say, ‘Yeah it is’. You don’t wait for Mel to get open. If he’s close to the defender you let it go,” Hart said in 2021.
The receiver corralled 39 passes for 770 yards and six touchdowns in 1974 and was voted to his first Pro Bowl.
The “Phantom Catch”
After losing to the Minnesota Vikings in the divisional round, the Cards came back with an 11-3 record in 1975, tying the franchise record for most wins in a season.
Mel Gray Torches Giants
October 25, 1975
Mel Gray caught 7 passes for 187 yards and two long TDs, including one from Terry Metcalf, as the Cardinals beat the New York Giants 20-13 at Shea Stadium.#BigRed1970s pic.twitter.com/4TVbLuBQAa
— St. Louis Football Cardinals (@BigRed_STL) October 26, 2024
The team was affectionately known as the “Cardiac Cards” that year because no less than eight games were decided in the final minute.
Gray had the best season of his pro career with 48 receptions for 926 yards and 11 touchdowns (NFL co-leader), all career bests.
One touchdown in particular, however, has since become legendary in team lore.
St. Louis and the Washington Redskins met for a Week 9 contest with both teams holding a 6-2 record.
Down by seven points with only seconds remaining, Hart took a snap on fourth down at the Redskins’ six-yard line.
He dropped back, spied Gray, and let fly.
For a brief moment, Gray had the ball before getting shellacked by Washington defender Pat Fischer.
The ball fell to the ground and the game was over.
November 16, 1975
Phantom Catch
Mel Gray’s controversial TD on 4th down tied the game and Jim Bakken won it in overtime as the Big Red beat Washington 20-17 at Busch Stadium.
Great highlights narrated by Pat Summerall. #BigRed1970s pic.twitter.com/17DABYVYgm
— St. Louis Football Cardinals (@BigRed_STL) November 16, 2023
Except it wasn’t.
One of the officials ruled the pass incomplete while another signaled for a touchdown.
The zebras conferred for what seemed like an eternity before the head ref signaled a touchdown.
Since the contest was played in St. Louis, the home crowd went berserk while the Redskins protested in anger.
Instead of going home with a win, the Cards prevailed in overtime, 20-17, and Washington went home with a loss.
“The way I look at it, I crossed the plane with the ball. One official called it a touchdown and one called it incomplete. Anyway, they claimed they changed the rules after that, but they didn’t name it after me,” Gray said, laughing.
The “Phantom Catch” became such a controversial call that senators from Washington and Maryland called for a special hearing with then-NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle.
The hearing went nowhere and the Cards used the momentum to reach the playoffs before losing to the L.A. Rams.
Washington, on the other hand, went into a spiral and missed the postseason.
Model of Consistency
Gray kept the party going by getting selected to the Pro Bowl in 1976 and 1977 after catching 36 and 38 passes, respectively.
St. Louis won 10 games in 1976 but missed the playoffs.
A year later, St. Louis started 1-3 before turning things around with a six-game winning streak.
The streak included a huge victory against then-division rival Dallas in Week 9.
In a contest where he didn’t think he would play because of an injury, Gray scored the game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter.
“He (Coryell) was thinking about keeping me out the first half and using me in the second,” Gray said. “We talked about it and I said I’d like to play the first and see if I could keep going.”
St. Louis would use that momentum to beat the Cowboys on Monday Night Football, 24-17.
Mel Gray of the St. Louis Cardinals. pic.twitter.com/X2XSIPVe30
— 𝙃𝙚𝙡𝙢𝙚𝙩 𝘼𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙩 (@HelmetAddict) September 27, 2024
It was the Cards’ first win against Dallas in Texas Stadium in team history.
A four-game losing streak to end the 1977 season kept St. Louis from the postseason and cost Coryell his job.
For the next four years, Gray was a consistent part of the Cards’ offense.
He caught 44 passes for 871 yards and two combined touchdowns in 1978 yet was not selected to the Pro Bowl.
In 1980, the receiver had 40 receptions for 709 yards and three scores and was again overlooked for postseason honors.
Gray’s production continued in 1981 when he had 27 receptions for 310 yards and two touchdowns.
Retirement
In 1973, Gray caught a pass and continued catching passes for the next decade.
200 TDs for Hart
October 25, 1981
Jim Hart threw his 200th career TD pass to Mel Gray in the Cardinals 30-17 upset over the Vikings at Busch Stadium.#BigRed1980s pic.twitter.com/aYJaL8HUAJ
— St. Louis Football Cardinals (@BigRed_STL) October 25, 2024
He had receptions in 121 consecutive games through the first four games of the 1982 strike-shortened season.
When he was held without a catch against the Philadelphia Eagles on December 5, Gray chose that day to announce his retirement, effective after the season.
Then-head coach Jim Hanifan kept Gray from the field for the rest of the year, even though the organization qualified for the playoffs before losing to Green Bay.
“At that time, I had some property in San Diego, owned part of a radio station, had some investments… I figured I would be fine. I was inactive the rest of the season and Hanifan wouldn’t let me go to Green Bay for the playoff game. I didn’t care, I was done,” said Gray.
Gray kept his word and retired from the NFL.
In 1983, he played for one season in the USFL before retiring once again as a professional football player.
During his career, Gray had 351 receptions for 6,644 yards and 45 touchdowns and added 154 rushing yards and one score.
Additionally, he had 49 punt return yards and 1,191 kick return yards.
Happy birthday to one of the all-time great Cardinals. Mel Gray scored 46 TDs and averaged almost 19 yards per catch over his 12 year career in St. Louis. pic.twitter.com/3DVJZ7UoII
— St. Louis Football Cardinals (@BigRed_STL) September 29, 2023
Gray was a four-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro and co-led the NFL in touchdown receptions once.
He has since been inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.
Life After the NFL
After leaving the structure of pro football, Gray was rudderless.
He spent the next decade living in various cities in California and working a number of odd jobs.
Some investment ideas didn’t pan out and he was also sought by authorities in 1987 for failure to pay child support.
Then, in the late 1990s, Gray returned to the University of Missouri and got a teaching degree with an emphasis in special education.
Gray then spent several years in education while also appearing at speaking engagements, attending NFL get-togethers, and coaching football and track.
He retired as an educator in 2010.
References
https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/mel-gray-1.html
https://mutigers.com/sports/2015/3/19/GEN_20140101240
https://mutigers.com/honors/hall-of-fame/mel-gray/52
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GrayMe01.htm
NEXT: The Life And Career Of Neil Lomax
This post came at the perfect moment when I needed some guidance most