Dave Rayner is going from Motown to the ‘Big D.?
According to reports, the Detroit Lions released Rayner on Monday, August 29 following a three week battle with Jason Hanson for the starting place kicker position.
Rayner, a 2001 graduate of Oxford High School, went two for three kicking in the exhibition season, while Hanson made all five of his field goal attempts.
It didn’t take Rayner long to find a new job as he was quickly snatched up and signed with the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday, August 30.
Apparently Cowboys owner Jerry Jones really wanted to sign Rayner as it was reported Jones dispatched his private plane to pick up Rayner at Detroit Metro Airport and fly him to Dallas.
His competition for the starting spot in Dallas includes Dan Bailey, a rookie from Oklahoma State, David Buehler, a three year veteran from USC, Kai Forbath, a rookie from UCLA and Shayne Graham, an 11-year veteran from Virginia Tech who signed with the Cowboys last week.
Rayner gets his first chance to impress his new employer when the Cowboys travel to Miami to play the Dolphins on Thursday, Sept. 1.