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Eddie Murray

Canadian Connection at Tulane Leads Murray to Great NFL Career

Most professional football players can look back to one moment, one point of recognition, that gave them their big break.

For long time NFL kicker Eddie Murray this break came because he is Canadian.

A native of Victoria, British Colombia, Murray attended Spectrum High in 1975 and spent a year working in a lumber yard before being recognized by a Canadian who was coaching for the NCAA Division 1 Tulane Green Wave. Willard Wells, himself a native of British Columbia, was one of several new coaches at the school in 1976. Wells remembered Murray had made an impact in the local BC sporting scene through his accomplishments in soccer and rugby.

"The biggest break in my life came when Coach Wells fell across some film of me and started the recruiting process," Murray said in a profile on collegesports.com this fall. "It was a great opportunity for me to not only play college football, but also get a great education. The decision from there was easy."

According to the profile on collegesports.com, Murray wasted little time making a name for himself at Tulane, setting a school single-season record with 10 field goals and led the Green Wave with 47 points. That became the norm for Murray throughout his collegiate career as he set the Tulane field goals made record as a sophomore, was named first-team All-South Independent all four years, and claimed All-America honors his final two seasons.

During his four years at Tulane Murray set Green Wave records for most points by a kicker (219), most field goals made (45), most PATs made (84), and highest field goal percentage (.616). Upon graduation Murray was drafted in the first round by the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the Canadian Football League, and in the seventh round of the NFL draft by the Detroit Lions.

Murray opted to play for the Lions, and made an immediate impact by making the Pro Bowl in his rookie season. In 19 years in the NFL, he made a pair of Pro Bowls and currently ranks seventh on the all-time scoring list (1,594).

"I remember coming off the Pro Bowl MVP showing as a rookie, I come into camp for my second year, and there are three or four guys there competing for my job. That's the way it was every year for a while, so you learn very quickly that the key is to keep working hard and not take anything for granted," Murray said in the collegesports.com profile.

After leaving the Lions in 1991, Murray played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1992, Dallas Cowboys in 1993, Philadelphia Eagles in 1994, Washington Redskins in 1995, Minnesota Vikings in 1997, back to the Cowboys in 1999 and rejoined the Redskins in 2000.

Murray won a Super Bowl with the Cowboys in 1993.

Murray now lives in Detroit, Mich., with his wife of 11 years and one daughter. Murray is also president of Eddie Murray Enterprises, a trucking company in Detroit. Murray is also an active member of the Detroit Lions Alumni, participating in events including the Steve Mariucci Bocce Tournament, local Police Association Softball games

With notes from www.collegesports.com