EDMONTON – For a certain generation of Double E fans, there may be no EE player more synonymous with the team, or more beloved than Ricky Ray.
Over his nine seasons in Green and Gold, Ricky Ray threw a franchise record 210 touchdowns.
Thirty-seven different players caught a TD pass from Ray. The QB’s top targets included All-Stars like Ed Hervey, Kamau Peterson, Fred Stamps as well as Terry Vaughn.
And, of course, Jason Tucker.
The Ray-Tucker connection produced more than 250 points over six seasons together (2002-2003 and 2005-2008), with the former passing to the latter for a touchdown 42 times. That’s one in every five of Ray’s TD tosses with Edmonton, and over 70 per cent of Tucker’s 59 career touchdown receptions, which rank as second most in EE history.
“Whenever you look at a good quarterback, obviously he’s got a really good receiver that’s playing for him,” says Ray. “You’ve always got to have that No. 1 guy that you can just count on to make the tough catches and get open when you need them, and I’ve been very lucky to have a lot of those guys throughout my career.”
Whether it was a record-setting 105-yard touchdown in Winnipeg or a clutch two-point conversion in overtime of the 2005 Grey Cup, there wasn’t a field too long or a moment too big to keep the Ray-Tucker connection from finding the endzone.
“He put the ball right where it needed to be each and every time,” Tucker says. “He made my job easy. When I had to go and do something spectacular, I’d just run my route, get open and I knew the ball would be there.”
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“He’s a guy that leads by actions, he doesn’t say many words. He’s clam, he’s cool, he’s collected, he doesn’t let anything get a rise out of him or get him wound up. That’s what you like in a quarterback,” Tucker says.
“He’s got that calm demeanour. You look in his eyes and you know this dude’s ready to play. He’s going to lead us, and I’m going to war with this dude any day of the week and I know he’s going to show us the way to go.”
“I’m sure if you ask most of those guys, they would say, ‘Ricky didn’t really tell me anything.’ I just wanted them to be confident in what they were doing and if they did something a certain way, I tried to adjust to what they were doing,” says Ray.
“That way I didn’t have to guess what they were going to do or try to get them to change their game. I just knew what to expect from them and thought I could be more confident throwing to those guys by doing it that way.”
Pre-amble written by Brian Swane on Sept. 16, 2022 and can be viewed here.
The 2000s All-Decade team features four members of the EE Wall of Honour. Here is the full list:
COACH
Head Coach – Tom Higgins
Higgins was the coach that brought the Grey Cup back to Edmonton after a 10-year drought. Under his guidance from 2001 to 2004, the Esks made the playoff in all four seasons, with 2003’s championship the crowning achievement.
OFFENCE
Quarterback – Ricky Ray
A four-time Grey Cup champion. ‘Frito’ Ray was beloved during his time in the Green and Gold. Ray is a Canadian Football Hall of Famer and finished his career with over 60,429 passing yards and 325 touchdowns.
Running Back – Mike Pringle
One of the best running backs of all-time, Pringle holds the CFL record for rushing yards (16,425) and yards from scrimmage (20,254). He rushed for 2,517 yards and 21 touchdowns in his two seasons with the Esks in the 2000s.
Full Back – Mathieu Bertrand
Bertand spent his entire career in the Green and gold, earning accolades as the team’s Most Outstanding Rookie and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.
Wide Receiver – Ed Hervey
Affectionately known as ‘Swerve’, Ed Hervey played eight seasons in Edmonton where he amassed 6,715 receiving yards and 43 touchdowns. Hervey won two Grey Cups as a player, and was also the architect of the 2015 Grey Cup champion Edmonton Eskimos as the team’s General Manager.
Slot Back – Terry Vaughn
A recent addition to the Double E Wall of Honour, Vaughn was a picture of consistency in the Canadian Football League. He began his career with 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons, finishing his career with 13,748 receiving yards and 104 touchdowns.
Slot Back – Derrell ‘Mookie’ Mitchell
Mitchell was another member of the Green and Gold’s stacked receiving core in the 2000s. Another Canadian Football League Hall of Famer, Mitchell recorded 160 receptions for 2,000 yards in 1998 prior to joining Edmonton. He won a Grey Cup with the team in 2005 and served on the team’s Alumni Association in retirement.
Slot Back – Jason Tucker
The Tucker to Ray connection was a popular one in the 2000s for the Esks, with the two-time Grey Cup champion earning four CFL All-Star nods in the decade. His catch in the 2005 Grey Cup overtime remains one of the most iconic catches in club history.
Wide Receiver – Kamau Peterson
One of the great National wide receivers of the 2000s, Peterson was a fan favourite from 2007 to 2010 in Edmonton. In 2008 he recorded 101 receptions for 1,317 and four touchdowns with the Green and Gold.
Offensive Tackle – Bruce Beaton
The hulking Canadian offensive lineman was a two-time Grey Cup champion in the decade and a three-time CFL All-Star.
Offensive Guard – Dan Comiskey
Comiskey was a two-time CFL West All-Star and an important protector for Rick Ray in both the Esks 2003 and 2005 Grey Cup winning seasons.
Centre – Tim Prinsen
A former fourth-overall pick in 1997, the Edmonton native won a Grey Cup with his home team in 2003. Prinsen went on to the coach for the Green and Gold multiple times, as well as the University of Alberta.
Offensive Guard – Kevin Lefsrud
Lefsrud started 58 games for Edmonton and was a fixture of the team’s two Grey Cup wins on the offensive line.
Offensive Tackle – Chris Morris
Edmonton’s first-round pick in 1992, Morris spent his entire CFL career in the Green and Gold. He retired a three-time Grey Cup champion and is now the head coach of the University of Alberta Golden Bears.
DEFENCE
Defensive End – Rahim Abdullah
A former second-round pick by the Cleveland Browns, Abdullah recorded 36 career sacks in six CFL seasons with 19 of those coming in Green and Gold.
Defensive Tackle – Rob Brown
Brown played 10 years in the Canadian Football league, notching 195 tackles and 48 sacks. His best season came in 2006 when he took down CFL quarterbacks 12 times. Brown now serves as a member of the Edmonton Police force.
Defensive Tackle – Albert Reese
A 6-foot-6 monster in the middle, Reese recorded 19 sacks and 155 tackles over five seasons in the 2000s for Edmonton.
Defensive End – Elfrid Payton
Payton is a Canadian Football Hall of Famer, who recorded 153 sacks during his time in the league. In 2002, Payton notched 16 sacks for the Green and Gold, one of seven seasons where he recorded at least 14 sacks. His son, who shares the same name, is now a member of the Indian Pacers in the NBA.
Linebacker – Terry Ray
Ray was successful both North and South of the 49th parallel. The linebacker played in the 1996 Super Bowl before being named a two-time CFL All-Star with the Edmonton in 2000 and 2001.
Linebacker – A.J. Gass
An all-time fan favourite for his hardnose style of play, Gass played in the heart of Edmonton’s defence for 10 years and has two Grey Cup rings to his name. In his post-playing career he has coached for both the Esks and the University of Alberta.
Linebacker – Signor Mobley
Mobley was a versatile defender over his time in the Canadian Football League, with 680 tackles, 21 sacks, and 15 interceptions. He retired in 2005 as a two-time Grey Cup champion with the Green and Gold.
Cornerback – Malcolm Frank
Frank was a steady defender for the Double E for six seasons, but will always be remembered for his sensational 2004 season. The cornerback hauled in seven interceptions, returning a club record five of them for touchdowns.
Defensive Halfback – Donny Brady
Brady arrived in Edmonton with a splash with 11 interceptions in his first two seasons. His play on the field saw Brady named a CFL West All-Star in 2003 and 2005, years which the Green and Gold finished the season as Grey Cup champions.
Defensive Halfback – Shannon Garrett
A fixture on the Double E’s defence for nine years, Garrett recorded 35 interceptions and 699 tackles over his CFL career.
Cornerback – Quincy Coleman
Coleman was a solid defender for Edmonton, winning a Grey Cup in 2003 while contributing 7 interceptions in three seasons wearing the Green and Gold.
Safety – Kelly Wiltshire
A former second overall pick back in the 1996 CFL Draft, Wiltshire was a long time CFLer with 683 tackles, 15 interceptions, and 25 sacks in his nine-year career. He was the Esks Most Outstanding Canadian in their 2005 Grey Cup Championship season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker/Punter – Sean Fleming
A 16-year member of the Green and Gold, Fleming was kicking excellence over his CFL career. He holds the team records for points (2,571), field goals (553), converts (713) and more. He is a member of the EE Wall of Honour and a three-time Grey Cup champion.
Long Snapper – Taylor Inglis
A local product, Inglis went undrafted in the CFL Draft, but plied his trade for the Edmonton Wild Cats. He would serve as the Double E’s long snapper for six seasons from 2005 to 2010.
Kick Returner – Winston October
October was a dynamic returner with over 8,000 return yards and six touchdowns in his CFL career. Following his playing career, he would serve as the team’s pass game coordinator and wide receiver coach in 2021.
Special Teamer – Maven Maurer (Formerly Mike)
Maurer was a special teams machine over their four seasons with the Esks. The fullback racked up seasons of 18, 23, and 20 special teams tackles while also scoring two touchdowns on offence with the Green and Gold.
