Ray stood 6' 6" and weighed over 280 pounds, much larger than nearly all college football players of the day.

[5] Ray was not selected in the 1938 NFL draft, and became the subject of a free agent bidding war between George Halas of the Chicago Bears and Curly Lambeau of the Packers.

Early in his career, Ray shed upwards of 25 pounds from his college playing weight,[6] helping to improve his mobility.

[8] He later became the university's first full-time football recruiter[2] and also served as the head of the physical education department.

[2] Ray died of a heart attack in Nashville on January 21, 1986, at the age of 71 following a hunting trip.