Vince Edward Rafferty is a former
center
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
for the
Green Bay Packers. He played
college football at the
University of Colorado Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder, CU, or Colorado) is a public research university in Boulder, Colorado. Founded in 1876, five months before Colorado became a state, it is the flagship university of the University of Colorado sy ...
.
Early years
Rafferty was born Vincent Edward Rafferty on August 6, 1961, in
Manhattan, Kansas
Manhattan is a city and county seat of Riley County, Kansas, United States, although the city extends into Pottawatomie County. It is located in northeastern Kansas at the junction of the Kansas River and Big Blue River. As of the 2020 c ...
. He attended
Longmont High School
Longmont High School is the original high school of the city of Longmont, Colorado, United States, and opened its doors to students in 1901. The school is located in central Longmont and serves as a high school for the St. Vrain Valley School Dis ...
.
He accepted a football scholarship from the
University of Colorado Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder, CU, or Colorado) is a public research university in Boulder, Colorado. Founded in 1876, five months before Colorado became a state, it is the flagship university of the University of Colorado sy ...
. He began his career as an
offensive guard
Offensive may refer to:
* Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative
* Offensive (military), an attack
* Offensive language
** Fighting words or insulting language, words that by their very utterance inflict in ...
. As a senior, he was moved to
defensive tackle.
Professional career
Rafferty was signed as an
undrafted free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
by the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
after the
1984 NFL Draft. He was switched to the
offensive line
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numb ...
during training camp. He was waived on August 21, 1984.
In 1985, he signed with the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
, but suffered an injury and never got on the field.
In 1986, he was signed by the
Green Bay Packers. He was released on August 22, 1986.
On July 24, 1987, he was signed by the
Green Bay Packers. He was released on August 31, 1987. After the
NFLPA
The National Football League Players Association, or NFLPA, is a labor union representing National Football League (NFL) players. The NFLPA, which has headquarters in Washington, D.C., is led by president J. C. Tretter and executive director DeM ...
strike was declared on the third week of the season, those contests were canceled (reducing the 16 game season to 15) and the
NFL decided that the games would be played with replacement players. In September, he was signed to be a part of the Packers replacement team. He started 3 games at center during the strike. He was released on November 3, 1987.
In 1988, he was signed by the
Phoenix Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
. He was released on August 29, 1988.
Personal life
After his
NFL career, Rafferty went on to become a
firefighter in Colorado, working as an
emergency medical technician
An emergency medical technician (EMT), also known as an ambulance technician, is a health professional that provides emergency medical services. EMTs are most commonly found working in ambulances. In English-speaking countries, paramedics a ...
for the Rocky Flats
Fire Department.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rafferty, Vince
1961 births
Sportspeople from Manhattan, Kansas
Green Bay Packers players
American football centers
University of Colorado Boulder alumni
Colorado Buffaloes football players
Living people