Dark Horse Tavern » as coach of the New York Jets .Flores

Ricky Ray was never able to latch on in the NFL http://www.jacksonvillejaguarsteamonline.com/jawaan-taylor-jersey , but that didn’t keep him from having a long career.According to Dan Ralph of the , the longtime CFL quarterback announced his retirement Wednesday, calling it a career after last season’s neck injury.Of his 17 years, 16 were spent in the CFL, where he was one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the league. He’s one of just four quarterbacks to throw for more than 60,000 yards, and he won a record four Grey Cups.It took him a bit to warm to the idea of playing in the CFL. He went to camp with the 49ers in 2001 http://www.jacksonvillejaguarsteamonline.com/gardner-minshew-ii-jersey , where they called him “Frito Ray” because he drove a chip delivery truck. Then after a stint with the Edmonton Eskimos, gave it a shot with the Jets in 2004. He dressed for six games, but wasn’t able to leapfrog Quincy Carter on the depth chart and headed back to Canada.Ray suffered a neck injury last June while playing for the Toronto Argonauts, and the 39-year-old realized coming back didn’t make sense.“The more I thought about it, physically I just don’t think I can perform at a standard necessary to play anymore,” Ray said. “Every time I had that competitor inside of me saying, ‘Hey you can still do it http://www.losangelesramsteamonline.com/darrell-henderson-jersey , there’s a lot left to accomplish. I just had the practical voice in my head saying, ‘Physically you just can’t do it anymore.’“As an athlete you’re always trying to overcome something or trying to push yourself and think you can do things that maybe even you don’t think you can. This off-season, the practical side of me just kept coming out and saying it was my time to be done with football.”And even if he never stuck in the NFL, it was an amazing career. While the 2018 NFL champion has yet to be crowned, much of the league is already looking ahead to the 2019 season, and so far the Miami Dolphins are in last place.Las Vegas oddsmakers recently made the Dolphins a 300-1 choice to win the Super Bowl in Miami a year from now, by far the league’s longest odds.And because Brian Flores’ team is headed for the Super Bowl http://www.minnesotavikingsteamonline.com/irv-smith-jr.-jersey , the Dolphins must wait another two weeks before they can seal a deal with the New England Patriots‘ defensive play-caller to become their coach.The Patriots sent the Dolphins’ wait on Flores into overtime by beating Kansas City in overtime Sunday in the AFC championship game.The Dolphins interviewed Flores on Jan. 4, targeted him as their choice for the job on Jan. 11 and are expected to meet with him this week. But no agreement can become final until after the Patriots play the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl on Feb. 3.More Miami Dolphins newsDolphins sign hometown WR Allen Hurns to 1-year contractNew Dolphins coach Brian Flores has his own daily workout at training campDolphins assistant coach Jim Caldwell takes leave of absence to address health issuesTwo-time Pro Bowl safety Reshad Jones rejoins Dolphins after skipping voluntary practicesDolphins QBs Josh Rosen, Ryan Fitzpatrick embrace battle for No. 1 jobAlso on hold are the Cincinnati Bengals, the only other team still with a vacancy among the eight NFL teams making coaching changes.The Bengals are interested in Zac Taylor, the Rams’ quarterbacks coach. It has been three weeks since Cincinnati fired Marvin Lewis after his 16th season and third consecutive losing record.Flores has begun work to assemble a staff, and front-runners include former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell as assistant head coach and Packers assistant Patrick Graham as defensive coordinator. Some Dolphins assistants are expected to be retained.But Miami will be without a head coach to help assess prospects this week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama http://www.newyorkgiantsteamonline.com/dexter-lawrence-jersey , and his evaluation of the roster in preparation for free agency and the draft will be delayed.Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy, a former Patriots scout, said the Dolphins’ wait for Flores will be worth it.“He’s one of my favorite people I’ve ever worked with or ever been around in my life,” Nagy said Monday. “I could go on and on. I love Brian Flores. He’s going to be a great coach. He’s got a great way about him. He connects with all different kinds of people. It’s a slam dunk hire for Miami.”The Dolphins went 7-9 last year under Adam Gase, who was fired after three seasons and then hired as coach of the New York Jets .Flores and Miami general manager Chris Grier both started their NFL careers as Patriots scouts. Flores has spent his entire 11-year coaching career with New England, and he took over defensive play-calling a year ago after the departure of defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.“Obviously he has done a great job,” safety Patrick Chung said last week. “He’s definitely a good coach and he likes to mix things up. It keeps guys off-balance.”The Patriots allowed 5 http://www.oaklandraidersteamonline.com/josh-jacobs-jersey ,746 yards during the regular season to rank 21st, but ranked seventh in points allowed. The Dolphins ranked 29th by allowing 6,257 yards, the most in franchise history.Expectations for Miami in 2019 are low partly because owner Stephen Ross has said the franchise will abandon its win-now approach to build with the long term in mind and end a cycle of mediocrity. The Dolphins have finished with six to eight wins nine times in the past decade.