Leon Gray Leon Gray ( November 15 , 1951 - November 11 , 2001 ) was an American football tackle in the National Football League for the New England Patriots , Houston Oilers , and the New Orleans Saints . Gray played college football at Jackson State University . Early life . Gray was born on November 15 , 1951 in Olive Branch , Mississippi as one of 10 children . He graduated from East Side High School in Olive Branch and earned academic and music scholarships to Jackson State University . College career . While at Jackson State , Gray played football for the Tigers from 1970 - 1973 as an offensive tackle . At the end of his senior season , he received several honors , including a First - team All - SWAC selection and team MVP . He was also named to the All - American teams of both Playboy and Ebony Magazines , as well as the Pittsburgh Courier . Gray was nicknamed " Big Dog " in college due to his size ( 295 lbs . ) NFL career . Gray was selected in the third round of the 1973 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins . However , due to their depth at offensive line , he never played for the team . He was cut before the start of the 1973 NFL season and claimed on waivers by the New England Patriots . Gray was recommended to Chuck Fairbanks , who had just taken over as head coach of the Patriots , by an Eastern Airlines pilot named Bruce Kostamo who had played for Fairbanks in high school . Gray played in the final nine games of the ' 73 season , starting eight at left tackle . He continued to develop during the 1974 and 1975 seasons and by 1976 he was viewed as one of the best left tackles in the game . Gray was not only strong at run - blocking , but in pass - protection , as well . He was a major factor in quarterback Steve Grogan being sacked only 14 times in 1977 . Along with guard John Hannah , the two formed what was generally considered the best guard / tackle tandem in the NFL . Gray and Hannah also combined with tight end Russ Francis to form one of the strongest left - side trios in the league . At the end of the 1976 NFL season , Gray was selected to play in the Pro Bowl for the first time . Due in no small part to the efforts of Gray and Hannah , the Patriots enjoyed one of the finest seasons in franchise history in ' 76 , finishing with an 11 - 3 record . This earned them the AFC Wild card spot and a rematch with the Oakland Raiders . The two teams had met at Schaefer Stadium in week four of the regular season and the Patriots had handed the Raiders their only loss , a 48 - 17 drubbing . The rematch in Oakland would not go as well and the team ' s hopes of winning it all were ended by a close and controversial loss to the eventual Super Bowl champions in the 1976 AFC Divisional playoff round . Despite the tough loss , the Patriots were seen by observers as one of the main Super Bowl contenders going into the 1977 NFL season . Unfortunately for the team , trouble was looming . At the convincing of agent Howard Slusher , Gray and Hannah walked out on the Patriots before the team ' s final preseason game in an effort to get their contracts renegotiated . The two were unsuccessful in getting new deals and returned before the week 4 regular season game against the Seattle Seahawks . In the meantime , the Patriots had gotten off to a 1 - 2 start that included losses to a Cleveland Browns team that finished 6 - 8 and a New York Jets team that finished 3 - 11 . The team won eight of the eleven games that Gray and Hannah played and started in , but their 9 - 5 overall record was not enough to make it into the 1977 AFC playoff field . The team rebounded from the tragic injury suffered by wide receiver Darryl Stingley during a pre - season game against the Raiders to once again emerge as contenders during the 1978 NFL season . The emergence of second - year pro Stanley Morgan and the acquisition of All - Pro Harold Jackson to go along with Russ Francis made their passing attack more potent . Running the ball was still first priority for the team , however , and the Patriots finished that season with a team - total of 3 , 165 yards , an NFL record that still stands . Gray was rewarded for his role in this by being named to the All - Pro First - teams ' of the AP , Pro Football Weekly and the PFWA and was also selected to play in the Pro Bowl for the second time . Despite all this , controversy would once again derail the Patriots championship hopes . Late in the regular season , with the team 11 - 4 and the AFC East divisional winner , Chuck Fairbanks announced that he had decided to leave the Patriots after the conclusion of the 1978 season to become head coach at the University of Colorado . The news angered some players and particularly enraged owner Billy Sullivan . Sullivan suspended Fairbanks for breach of contract and the team lost their regular season finale against the Dolphins , 23 - 3 . Fairbanks was reinstated for the AFC Divisional playoff game against the Houston Oilers , but the damage was done and the Patriots were beaten by the Oilers 31 - 14 in the first postseason game played at Schaefer Stadium . Shortly before the start of the 1979 NFL season , Gray was traded to the Oilers for first and sixth - round draft picks . Patriots management saw the deal as a money - saving move . Upon hearing the news , John Hannah said , " We just traded away our Super Bowl . " Ron Erhardt , who had replaced Chuck Fairbanks as the team ' s head coach , also admitted that he was against the trade . Gray ' s one - time opponent and now Oiler teammate , Elvin Bethea , would later say that the trade for Gray was one of the happiest days of his life . He also stated that Gray was at least in the top three of offensive linemen that he had to face during his career . The Oilers had a strong 1979 campaign , finishing the regular season 11 - 5 and winning their first two postseason games . However , as with the previous season , they were denied a trip to the Super Bowl by their chief rival ( and defending champion ) , the Pittsburgh Steelers , in the AFC Championship game . The team again made the playoffs in 1980 , but lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Raiders in the Wild card round . Gray continued to excel during his time with the team , being named 1st Team All - Pro in both 1979 and 1980 . He was instrumental in helping Oilers ' star running back Earl Campbell rush for NFL - leading totals of 1 , 679 yards in 1979 and 1 , 934 yards in 1980 . After being named to the AFC Pro Bowl team for the fourth time at the end of the 1981 NFL season , Gray was traded from the Oilers to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for quarterback Archie Manning prior to the start of the 1982 NFL season . While with the Saints , Gray blocked for two - time Pro Bowl running back George Rogers . Gray played two seasons with the Saints before retiring from the NFL after the 1983 season . He is still considered arguably the best offensive tackle to play for the New England Patriots . Gray was named to the Patriots All - 1970s Team , but was notably absent from their 35th ( 1994 ) and 50th Anniversary ( 2009 ) Teams . Post - NFL activities . Gray worked in construction in the Boston area after his retirement from football . Death . On November 11 , 2001 , Grey was found dead at his home in the West Roxbury section of Boston . It is believed that he died of natural causes . Gray is survived by a son , Leon , Jr .