View source for Ricky Proehl

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1968)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox gridiron football biography
| name         = Ricky Proehl
| number       = 87, 88, 81, 11
| position     = [[Wide receiver]]
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1968|3|7}}
| birth_place  = [[The Bronx, New York]], U.S.
| height_ft    = 6
| height_in    = 0
| weight_lb    = 190
| high_school  = [[Hillsborough High School (New Jersey)|Hillsborough]] {{nowrap|([[Hillsborough Township, New Jersey|Hillsborough, New Jersey]])}}
| college      = [[Wake Forest Demon Deacons football|Wake Forest]] (1986–1989)
| draftyear    = 1990
| draftround   = 3
| draftpick    = 58
| pastteams    =
* [[Arizona Cardinals|Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals]] ({{NFL Year|1990|1994}})
* [[Seattle Seahawks]] ({{NFL Year|1995|1996}})
* [[Chicago Bears]] ({{NFL Year|1997}})
* [[St. Louis Rams]] ({{NFL Year|1998|2002}})
* [[Carolina Panthers]] ({{NFL Year|2003|2005}})
* [[Indianapolis Colts]] ({{NFL Year|2006}})
| pastcoaching =
* Carolina Panthers ({{NFL Year|2011}}–{{NFL Year|2012}})<br />Offensive assistant
* Carolina Panthers ({{NFL Year|2013}}–{{NFL Year|2016}})<br />Wide receivers coach
* [[St. Louis Battlehawks]] ({{XFL Year|2023}})<br />Wide receivers coach
| highlights   =
* 2× [[Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl XXXIV|XXXIV]], [[Super Bowl XLI|XLI]])
* [[PFWA All-Rookie Team]] ([[PFWA All-Rookie Team#1990|1990]])
* First-team [[List of All-Atlantic Coast Conference football teams|All-ACC]] ([[1989 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team|1989]])
| statlabel1   = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Reception]]s
| statvalue1   = 669
| statlabel2   = Receiving yards
| statvalue2   = 8,878
| statlabel3   = Receiving [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue3   = 54
| pfr          = ProeRi00
}}

'''Richard Scott Proehl''' (born March 7, 1968) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[wide receiver]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). Proehl played 17 seasons with the [[Arizona Cardinals|Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals]], [[Seattle Seahawks]], [[Chicago Bears]], [[St. Louis Rams]], [[Carolina Panthers]], and [[Indianapolis Colts]]. He played in four [[Super Bowl]]s and won two: [[Super Bowl XXXIV]] with the Rams and [[Super Bowl XLI]] with the Colts. He is remembered as a member of "[[The Greatest Show on Turf]]".

After his playing career, Proehl was an assistant coach for the Carolina Panthers through the 2016 season. He returned to the [[Super Bowl 50|Super Bowl]] as a coach with the Panthers in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Strickland |first=Bryan |last2=Henson |first2=Max |date=January 18, 2013 |title=Shula, Proehl promoted; Rodgers retained |url=http://www.panthers.com/news/article-2/Shula-Proehl-promoted-Rodgers-retained-/00420dd9-7407-4aa8-b642-7a005ca2adb1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909005253/https://www.panthers.com/news/article-2/Shula-Proehl-promoted-Rodgers-retained-/00420dd9-7407-4aa8-b642-7a005ca2adb1 |archive-date=September 9, 2017 |website=Panthers.com}}</ref> He recently served as the wide receivers coach for the [[St. Louis BattleHawks]] of the [[United Football League (2024)|United Football League (UFL)]].

==Early life==
Proehl graduated in 1986 from [[Hillsborough High School (New Jersey)|Hillsborough High School]] in [[Hillsborough Township, New Jersey|Hillsborough, New Jersey]], where he starred in both [[high school football|football]] and baseball. During his senior season in football, he caught 42 passes for 900+ yards and 13 [[touchdowns]]. For his efforts that year, he was named a [[New York metropolitan area|New York]] All-Metro selection, the [[Somerset County, New Jersey|Somerset County]] Player of the Year, and an All-State pick.

==College career==
Proehl played [[college football]] at [[Wake Forest University]], where he was a four-year [[Letterman (sports)|letterman]] in football. He holds the school record for receiving yards (2,949 yards), and [[touchdown]]s (25),{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} as well as ranking in the top five in receptions and receiving average. He ended his college career playing in the [[Blue–Gray Football Classic]] and the [[East-West All-Star Game]].

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 5
|    height in = 10 3/4
|       weight = 181
|         dash = 4.58
|    ten split = 1.60
| twenty split = 2.71
|      shuttle = 4.01
|     vertical = 34.0
|     broad ft = 9
|     broad in = 9
|     arm span = 29 1/2
|    hand span = 9 1/2
|         note = All values from [[NFL Combine]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=25512 |title=Ricky Proehl, Combine Results, WR - Wake Forest |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=December 29, 2022}}</ref>
}}

Proehl was taken in the third round (58th overall) of the [[1990 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1990 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1990/draft.htm |access-date=May 24, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He set the Cardinals [[rookie]] record for receptions and became the first rookie to lead the team in receptions since [[Bob Shaw (end)|Bob Shaw]] in 1950. He played four more seasons for the Cardinals before being traded to the Seattle Seahawks for a draft pick. He spent two seasons with the Seahawks, playing as a backup and accepting a pay cut.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 17, 1996 |title=Rice Ends Holdout and Joins Cardinals |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-08-17-sp-35042-story.html |access-date=November 8, 2023 |website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> He then signed with Chicago for one year, and led the team in receiving categories with 58 receptions, 753 yards, and 7 touchdowns.<ref name="a807">{{cite web | title=Proehl, Bears' top receiver, joins Rams | website=Baltimore Sun | date=1998-02-25 | url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1998/02/25/proehl-bears-top-receiver-joins-rams/ | access-date=2025-03-09}}</ref>

Proehl signed with the Rams for the start of the [[1998 NFL season]] on a four-year $6 million contract.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Proehl, Bears' top receiver, joins Rams - Baltimore Sun | url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1998-02-25-1998056086-story,amp.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627005129/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1998-02-25-1998056086-story,amp.html | access-date=2025-04-06 | archive-date=2021-06-27}}</ref> As part of "[[The Greatest Show on Turf]]", he helped lead the Rams to a championship in the 1999 season at [[Super Bowl XXXIV]], catching a 30-yard pass from [[Kurt Warner]] with 4:44 remaining in the NFC Championship that gave them a 11–6 lead; the Rams held on to win the game and advance to the Super Bowl. He caught six passes for 100 yards in that game, which was his best postseason performance in his career. In the Super Bowl, he caught one pass for eleven yards.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/ProeRi00/gamelog/post/ | title=Ricky Proehl Playoffs Game Log | website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] }}</ref> Two seasons later, he helped the Rams reach [[Super Bowl XXXVI]] against the [[New England Patriots]]. He caught three passes for 71 yards while also losing a fumble with a touchdown, which tied the game at 17 late in the fourth quarter before the Patriots rallied to win the game. He spent one more season with the Rams in 2002. Before the game, Proehl, extremely confident that the Rams would win, said to an NFL films camera crew "Tonight, a dynasty is born, baby!" While a dynasty was born that day, it kickstarted the Patriots Dynasty and marked the end of the greatest show on turf era.

Proehl then signed with Carolina as a [[free agent]] at the start of the [[2003 NFL season|2003 season]]. With Carolina, he caught five combined passes in the subsequent postseason run by the Panthers to [[Super Bowl XXXVIII]], but four of them were in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots, which included a touchdown catch with 1:08 remaining to tie the game at 29. However, the Patriots rallied to win the game on a last-second field goal.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200402010car.htm | title=Super Bowl XXXVIII - New England Patriots vs. Carolina Panthers - February 1st, 2004 | website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] }}</ref> He was talked out of [[retirement]] for a 16th season by Panther [[quarterback]] [[Jake Delhomme]] and coach [[John Fox (NFL)|John Fox]]. Proehl retired and worked as a color analyst with the Rams' television pre-season games and the Rams radio network on various shows and pre-games. On November 29, 2006, Proehl came out of retirement to join the [[Indianapolis Colts]], replacing injured WR [[Brandon Stokley]], and helping them to a victory in [[Super Bowl XLI]].

==Coaching career==
Proehl was hired by the Carolina Panthers on February 1, 2011, as an Offensive Consultant. He was hired to primarily work with the wide receivers. He was [[Pro Football Focus]]'s second runner up in their Wide Receiver Coach of the Year award.<ref>{{Cite web |title=News and Analysis for NFL and Fantasy Football – Pro Football Focus |url=https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2016/01/20/pro-pffs-2015-nfl-positional-coaches-of-the-year-awards/ |website=www.profootballfocus.com}}</ref>

In the 2015 season, Proehl and the Panthers reached [[Super Bowl 50]] on February 7, 2016. The Panthers fell to the [[2015 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]] by a score of 24–10.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl 50 - Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers - February 7th, 2016 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201602070den.htm |access-date=August 7, 2017 |website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]}}</ref>

Proehl was hired as wide receivers coach by the [[St. Louis Battlehawks]] on September 13, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=XFL Finalizes Coaching and Football Operations Staffs for All Eight Teams |url=https://www.xfl.com/xfl-latest-news/xfl-finalizes-coaching-and-football-operations-staffs-for-all-eight-teams |access-date=December 30, 2022 |website=www.xfl.com |language=en}}</ref> One of the players whom he coaches with the Battlehawks is his son [[Austin Proehl]]. He did not return in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 21, 2024 |title=UFL Announces Team Coaching Staffs |url=https://www.theufl.com/news/2024/february/21/ufl-announces-team-coaching-staffs |access-date=February 21, 2024 |website=www.theufl.com |language=en}}</ref>

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1990 NFL season|1990]] !! [[1990 Phoenix Cardinals season|PHO]]
| 16 || 2 || 56 || 802 || 14.3 || 45 || 4
|-
! [[1991 NFL season|1991]] !! [[1991 Phoenix Cardinals season|PHO]]
| 16 || 16 || 55 || 766 || 13.9 || 62 || 2
|-
! [[1992 NFL season|1992]] !! [[1992 Phoenix Cardinals season|PHO]]
| 16 || 15 || 60 || 744 || 12.4 || 63 || 3
|-
! [[1993 NFL season|1993]] !! [[1993 Phoenix Cardinals season|PHO]]
| 16 || 16 || 65 || 877 || 13.5 || 51 || 7
|-
! [[1994 NFL season|1994]] !! [[1994 Arizona Cardinals season|ARI]]
| 16 || 16 || 51 || 651 || 12.8 || 63 || 5
|-
! [[1995 NFL season|1995]] !! [[1995 Seattle Seahawks season|SEA]]
| 8 || 0 || 5 ||| 29 || 5.8 || 9 || 0
|-
! [[1996 NFL season|1996]] !! [[1996 Seattle Seahawks season|SEA]]
| 16 || 7 || 23 || 309 || 13.4 || 56 || 2
|-
! [[1997 NFL season|1997]] !! [[1997 Chicago Bears season|CHI]]
| 15 || 10 || 58 || 753 || 13.0 || 78 || 7
|-
! [[1998 NFL season|1998]] !! [[1998 St. Louis Rams season|STL]]
| 16 || 11 || 60 || 771 || 12.9 || 47 || 3
|-
! [[1999 NFL season|1999]] !! [[1999 St. Louis Rams season|STL]]
| 15 || 2 || 33 || 349 || 10.6 || 30 || 0
|-
! [[2000 NFL season|2000]] !! [[2000 St. Louis Rams season|STL]]
| 12 || 4 || 31 || 441 || 12.4 || 27 || 4
|-
! [[2001 NFL season|2001]] !! [[2001 St. Louis Rams season|STL]]
| 16 || 2 || 40 || 563 || 14.1 || 37 || 5
|-
! [[2002 NFL season|2002]] !! [[2002 St. Louis Rams season|STL]]
| 16 || 2 || 43 || 466 || 10.8 || 33 || 4
|-
! [[2003 NFL season|2003]] !! [[2003 Carolina Panthers season|CAR]]
| 16 || 2 || 27 || 389 || 14.4 || 66 || 4
|-
! [[2004 NFL season|2004]] !! [[2004 Carolina Panthers season|CAR]]
| 16 || 3 || 34 || 497 || 14.6 || 34 || 0
|-
! [[2005 NFL season|2005]] !! [[2005 Carolina Panthers season|CAR]]
| 16 || 2 || 25 || 441 || 17.6 || 69 || 4
|-
! [[2006 NFL season|2006]] !! [[2006 Indianapolis Colts season|IND]]
| 2 || 1 || 3 || 30 || 10.0 || 13 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| Career || 244 || 109 || 669 || 8,878 || 13.3 || 78 || 54
|}

===Super Bowl statistics===
* [[Super Bowl XXXIV]]: 1 reception, 11 yards – St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16
* [[Super Bowl XXXVI]]: 3 receptions, 71 yards, 1 touchdown – New England 20, St. Louis 17
* [[Super Bowl XXXVIII]]: 4 receptions, 71 yards, 1 touchdown – New England 32, Carolina 29
* Proehl did not catch a pass in [[Super Bowl XLI]].

===Achievements===
Proehl is known for his role in three memorable playoff games:
* As a member of the Rams in the 1999 NFC Championship Game against the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], Proehl recorded six receptions for 100 yards and caught the game-winning touchdown pass with 4:44 to play. The Rams won 11–6 and went on to win the Super Bowl.
* Two years later, in [[Super Bowl XXXVI]] against the [[New England Patriots]], with the Rams trailing 17–10, Proehl caught a touchdown pass with 1:30 to play to tie the game, but the Patriots won on a last-second field goal by [[Adam Vinatieri]], 20–17.
* Two years after that, in [[Super Bowl XXXVIII]] against New England, this time as a member of the Panthers, Proehl again caught a touchdown pass with 1:08 remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the game. However, the Patriots won the game on another last-second field goal by Vinatieri, 32–29.
* Proehl and Vinatieri became teammates in Indianapolis and were part of the Colts team that won [[Super Bowl XLI]].

==Personal life==
Proehl and his wife, Kelly, live in [[Greensboro, North Carolina]]. The couple have three children: one daughter named Alex, and two sons named [[Austin Proehl|Austin]] and [[Blake Proehl|Blake]]. Austin played wide receiver at the [[North Carolina Tar Heels football|University of North Carolina]]. He was selected in the [[2018 NFL draft]] by the [[Buffalo Bills]] as the 255th overall pick, and is currently a wide receiver with the [[St. Louis BattleHawks]] of the UFL, where he is coached by his father. Blake played wide receiver for [[East Carolina Pirates football|East Carolina University]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Blake Proehl |url=https://ecupirates.com/sports/football/roster/blake-proehl/10285 |website=www.ecupirates.com}}</ref> and was signed as an undrafted free agent to the [[Minnesota Vikings]].<ref name="q647">{{cite web | last=Gates | first=Christopher | title=Minnesota Vikings 2021 Undrafted Free Agent Signing Tracker | website=Daily Norseman | date=2021-05-01 | url=https://www.dailynorseman.com/2021/5/1/22414896/minnesota-vikings-2021-undrafted-free-agent-signing-tracker-2021-nfl-draft | access-date=2024-12-25}}</ref>

Proehl owns, manages, and coaches at Proehlific Park, which is a sports performance complex and fitness center he built in [[Greensboro, North Carolina]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Story – Proehlific Park |url=http://proehlificpark.com/letter-from-ricky-proehl/ |website=proehlificpark.com}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.rickyproehl.com/ The Ricky Proehl 'First Down for Kids' Foundation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706050757/http://www.rickyproehl.com/ |date=July 6, 2008 }}

{{Phoenix Cardinals 1990 draft navbox}}
{{Super Bowl XXXIV}}
{{Super Bowl XLI}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Proehl, Ricky}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:American football wide receivers]]
[[Category:Arizona Cardinals players]]
[[Category:Carolina Panthers players]]
[[Category:Chicago Bears players]]
[[Category:Indianapolis Colts players]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Hillsborough High School (New Jersey) alumni]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Hillsborough Township, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Somerset County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Phoenix Cardinals players]]
[[Category:Seattle Seahawks players]]
[[Category:St. Louis Battlehawks coaches]]
[[Category:St. Louis Rams players]]
[[Category:Wake Forest Demon Deacons football players]]
[[Category:Carolina Panthers coaches]]