Former New England Patriots wide receiver Ray Jarvis has passed away at the age of 77. He died on Aug. 3 in Waukesha, Wisconsin, after a period of declining health marked by symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Jarvis spent one season with the Patriots in 1979.
Born Leon Raeminton Jarvis on February 2, 1949, in Chesapeake, Virginia, he first made his mark at Norfolk State University. Playing for the Spartans from 1967 to 1970, he amassed 2,211 receiving yards, a total that still ranks among the highest in school history.
His ability to stretch the field was evident even then, as he posted a remarkable 30.8 yards per catch during his senior season, a single-season mark that has stood for more than five decades. That production earned him selection in the fifth round of the 1971 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
Jarvis’s early professional years involved stops with the Falcons and a season with the Buffalo Bills before he found a more consistent role with the Detroit Lions. There he enjoyed the peak of his career, leading the Lions in receiving during both 1975 and 1976.
The latter year proved especially productive, with 39 catches for 822 yards and five touchdowns. His 26.1 yards-per-reception average led the NFC that season, and the Lions named him their offensive MVP. Those performances solidified his reputation as a reliable vertical threat capable of creating big plays downfield.
By 1979, after five seasons in Detroit, Jarvis arrived in New England for what would become his final year in the league. The Patriots of that era were building under head coach Ron Erhardt, featuring a balanced attack and a roster that mixed established veterans with developing talent. Jarvis appeared in seven games for the team, primarily as a depth receiver.
Though his statistical output was modest (two receptions for 30 yards), he found the end zone once, contributing a touchdown that added to New England’s scoring efforts that season. In a league where roster spots were hard-earned and depth was essential, his presence provided veteran leadership and the kind of experience that helped younger players around him.
Jarvis concluded his nine-year NFL career with 104 receptions for 1,832 yards and 11 touchdowns across four teams. His average of 17.6 yards per catch underscored the big-play dimension he brought wherever he played. In 2023, Norfolk State recognized his accomplishments by inducting him into the university’s Athletics Hall of Fame, honoring both his collegiate excellence and his professional contributions.
From the perspective of the New England Patriots organization and its supporters, Jarvis’s brief tenure in 1979 remains a part of the team’s history. Players who pass through Foxborough, even for a single season, become part of the broader narrative of the franchise.
His ability to still produce a touchdown late in his career spoke to the resilience and skill that defined his time in the league.
As news of his passing spreads, those who remember the late-1970s Patriots will recall a receiver who finished his professional journey wearing the red, white, and blue, leaving behind a legacy of productive football that stretched from the CIAA to the NFL.
He is survived by his wife, Ahdea, daughters Rahdea and Shani, and five siblings.
