Raymond Clayborn Elected To Patriots Hall Of Fame
BOSTON (CBS) -- Raymond Clayborn will be the newest member of the Patriots Hall of Fame.
The former Pro Bowl cornerback will become the 26th person to be inducted into the team's hall of fame in Foxboro.
Clayborn played 13 seasons for New England from 1977 through 1989 after being drafted 16th overall out of Texas. His 36 interceptions set a franchise record which has only been tied by Ty Law and has yet to be surpassed.
He also set franchise records for his work as a rookie kick returner, when he returned three kicks for touchdowns and averaged 31 yards per return. He also set a franchise record by playing in 161 consecutive games.
"I was fortunate to be a season ticket holder during Raymond's entire Patriots career," Robert Kraft said in the announcement. "For the first half of his career, he teamed with Michael Haynes to form one of the best corner tandems in league history. Throughout his career, Raymond was a physical, shutdown corner. One of my favorite memories was watching the 1985 team advance to the Super Bowl after Raymond helped us break the Orange Bowl curse when he stymied future Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino with a dominant performance against Pro Bowl receivers Mark Duper and Mark Clayton. Raymond had six passes defensed and an interception to help us claim our first conference title. It was the greatest upset victory in franchise history at the time and one the entire New England region celebrated. It is a well-deserved honor and I look forward to presenting him his hall of fame jacket."
Clayborn beat out dynasty-era candidates Richard Seymour and Mike Vrabel as finalists for the Patriots Hall of Fame.
