Madison’s LaBryan Ray retires from the NFL
MADISON – Former James Clemens All-State football player LaBryan Ray is currently in a crossroads of his playing career in the National Football League. Playing three seasons for the Carolina Panthers and one for the New England Patriots, the 6-foot-4, 290-pound defensive end was placed on the Reserve/Retired list on Aug. 4 by the Panthers.
The rarely used list means if a player retires prior to the expiration of his contract, the team can place him on the Reserve/ Retired list and retain its rights to the player under the player’s contract. The contract is tolled, so if a player chooses to “unretired,” the player’s rights are still held by the team to the extent of the remaining time of the contract.
Ray, who will turn 29 in December, played in 46 games for the Panthers in 2023, 2024 and 2025. He recorded 29 tackles with 44 assists from his defensive end position.
At James Clemens, Ray had 45 career starts where he recorded 275 tackles, 26 sacks and 50 tackles for loss. He was chosen as an Under Armour All-American, was a two-time All-State selection and twice named Class 7A Lineman of the Year. He was regarded as the No. 1 player in Alabama by recruiters and signed with Alabama in 2017. For the Crimson Tide, he suffered injuries which limited his playing time at Alabama in his five seasons in Tuscaloosa.
He was not selected in the 2022 NFL Draft and signed a rookie contract with the New England Patriots and played one season in New England before signing with the Panthers and his three seasons.
