When Ray Mirra started playing sports as a young boy, his dream was to become a professional soccer player. But that dream had faded away by the age of 16, and Ray knew he couldn’t make it to the pros. A few years later, Ray made his transition from high school to professional sports at age 21, and ended up playing with several former and current legendary teams in the National Football League such as the New England Patriots (where he played with quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick), St. Louis Rams (where he picked up an invaluable piece of advice from Michael Jordan) and Denver Broncos. Today, Ray Mirra works hard to provide quality shoes and clothing for his customers.
Defending NFL Player
Ray Mirra is a world-famous shoe designer, having created sold millions of pairs in his career. And if that’s not enough to get you excited, just wait until you hear about his ultra-lucrative career as a professional football player! The numbers he made playing professional football in the NFL are not exactly pocket change. The high school dropout, who was born in Turkey and moved to Brooklyn during the 70s and 80s, played with legendary teams such as the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos. And it is precisely for his skills on the field that he deserves our respect – but also for his dedication to sports outside the stadium.
Ray Mirra had never seen anything like it before. It wasn’t just the stadium lights or the screaming fans or the incredible athletes on the field. It was the size of the arena and its location: no-one ever played in a house that could seat 80,000 people. Mirra was 21 years old, playing in his first NFL game with the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. He’s since played in an ice hockey arena in Las Vegas and a baseball field in Los Angeles with capacities over 40,000. But even today – at 44 years old – he says nothing tops his first pro game: “It was amazing – like winning a championship title.”
Roller Hockey
To most people, roller hockey is a game or a hobby, but to Ray Mirra it was a way of life. From the age of nine, he spent all his free time on the rink or in his local roller hockey league. He was such a dedicated athlete that by the time he entered high school, he was considered one of the top roller hockey players in New York. Stylish and functional, but for the professional athlete what would be the one item that’s both indispensable and necessary? For Ray Mirra Jr there is only one thing that hits the mark. Shoes. He likes them as much as he likes scoring touchdowns or catching a touchdown pass.
Hard Word Paid Off
Roller hockey was his obsession and his idol was Michael Jordan. At just 14, Ray started playing for the New York Lizards of Roller Hockey International League. After three seasons he had developed a serious passion for the sport. which eventually led to his professional career in roller hockey. In 1996, the Boston Lobsters selected him in their draft. He played for them for two years before ending up with the St. Louis Voodoo in 1998, who drafted him first overall. The hard work paid off when in 1999, Mirra helped the team win the National Roller Hockey Association…s Championship Cup Game.
I’ve been a hockey player from the time I was four years old. I haven’t stopped since. I continued playing in high school and after graduating. Went on to play for the New England Patriots for four years. Shortly after that, I was picked up by the St. Louis Rams and became a star quarterback there. But I didn’t get there alone ― I earn a lot of help along the way. They say to be successful you need to make sure you have the right mix of talent, opportunity and hard work, and I was lucky enough to find that mix early on in my career.
Legendary Sports Athlete
What makes Ray a legendary sports athlete is his longevity in the sports industry. He is an exceptional athlete and has been featured on ESPN, HBO Sports, NBC Sports, and Yahoo Sports. Today Ray resides in Los Angeles but he continues to visit New England frequently. Ray has more than his fair share of excitement for what the future for him holds.
Ray Mirra is no ordinary sportsman. He was good enough to get noticed in high school, and was sign to a pro contract. At the age of 21 Making the difficult transition from high school to professional sports at a tender age. His talents were so great that he continued playing with some of the best teams in the National Football League, such as the New England Patriots, St. Louis Rams and Denver Broncos.
