Ray Hamilton

Who is Ray Hamilton?

Ray "Sugar Bear" Hamilton is a former American football player from 1973 through 1981 for the New England Patriots, and the former defensive line coach for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons. Hamilton was an All Big 8 defensive tackle for the Oklahoma Sooners, being named to the first team in 1971 and 1972.

Hamilton is best known for an incident in the 1976 NFL playoffs in a first-round game against the Oakland Raiders, when Oakland's Ken Stabler threw an incompletion and was hit by Hamilton as he threw. Ben Dreith, the referee, gave the Raiders a first down on a penalty of roughing the passer. Ironcially, Ray Hamilton would later become a defensive line coach for the Raiders.

Before becoming the defensive line coach for the Falcons, he spent the previous five years in the same position with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Hamilton spent two seasons as the Defensive Line Coach for the Cleveland Browns from 2001–2002. In his first season with Cleveland, the Browns tied for fourth in the AFC with 43 sacks. For three seasons, Hamilton served as New England Defensive Line Coach from 1997–99 and joined the New York Jets staff in 2000.