Jim Ritcher

**Jim Ritcher**
	No. 51
	Center / Guard
Personal information
	Date of birth: May 21, 1958 (age 66)
	Place of birth: Berea, Ohio
Career information
	College: North Carolina State
	NFL Draft: 1980 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16
	No regular season or postseason appearances
Career history
	* Buffalo Bills ( 1980– 1993) Atlanta Falcons ( 1994– 1995);
Career highlights and awards
	* 2× Pro Bowl (1991, 1992) Outland Trophy (1979); 2× Consensus All-American (1978, 1979); North Carolina State No. 51 retired; Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame;
Games played	218
Games started	167
Stats at pro-football-reference.com
College Football Hall of Fame

James Alexander Ritcher (born May 21, 1958) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for sixteen seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. Ritcher played college football for North Carolina State University, and received All-American honors. He was picked in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the Buffalo Bills and Atlanta Falcons of the NFL.

Early years[]

Ritcher was born in Berea, Ohio. He attended Highland High School in Medina, Ohio, where he wrestled and played high school football.^[1]

College career[]

He attended North Carolina State University, and played for the NC State Wolfpack football team from 1976 to 1979. As a senior in 1979, he was a consensus first-team was an All-American and won the Outland Trophy as the nation's best college interior lineman.

Professional career[]

In the National Football League, Ritcher was moved to guard from center by the Buffalo Bills, for whom he played fourteen seasons. He started in all four Super Bowl appearances of the Bills (Super Bowl XXV, Super Bowl XXVI, Super Bowl XXVII, and Super Bowl XXVIII) and was selected to two Pro Bowls. He finished his career with the Atlanta Falcons.

Life after football[]

In 1998, he was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame. He is currently working as a commercial pilot, flying for American Airlines.

References[]

↑ Kaipust, Rich (9 January 2014). "Outland Trophy throwback winner Ritcher rolled with the punches, excelled". Omaha World-Herald. https://www.omaha.com/sports/outland-trophy-throwback-winner-ritcher-rolled-with-the-punches-excelled/article_307646f9-88b3-5ff2-bd2a-ed5982610f6a.html. Retrieved 19 June 2019.

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This biographical article relating to an American football offensive lineman born in the 1950s is a stub. You can help The American Football Database by expanding it.

[1] Kaipust, Rich (9 January 2014). "Outland Trophy throwback winner Ritcher rolled with the punches, excelled". Omaha World-Herald. https://www.omaha.com/sports/outland-trophy-throwback-winner-ritcher-rolled-with-the-punches-excelled/article_307646f9-88b3-5ff2-bd2a-ed5982610f6a.html. Retrieved 19 June 2019.

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