Raymond Burnett | |
Birth Date: | 29 January 1914 |
Birth Place: | New Hope, Arkansas, U.S. |
Death Place: | North Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. |
Player Years1: | 1933–1935 |
Player Team1: | Arkansas Tech |
Player Years2: | 1936 |
Player Team2: | Arkansas State Teachers |
Player Years3: | 1938 |
Player Team3: | Chicago Cardinals |
Player Positions: | Halfback |
Coach Years1: | 1939–1940 |
Coach Team1: | Atkins HS (AR) |
Coach Years2: | 1944–1947 |
Coach Team2: | Little Rock HS (AR) |
Coach Years3: | 1948–1953 |
Coach Team3: | Arkansas Tech |
Coach Years4: | 1954–1958 |
Coach Team4: | North Little Rock HS (AR) |
Overall Record: | 30–24–3 (college) |
Raymond Burnett (January 29, 1914 – July 19, 1996) was a professional American football player and coach.
A native of New Hope, Arkansas, Burnett was a standout football player for four years in basketball and football at Atkins High School from 1928 to 1931. Nicknamed "Rabbit", he starred at halfback at Arkansas Tech University and the Arkansas State Teachers College (now University of Central Arkansas), before playing the 1938 NFL season for the Chicago Cardinals.
Burnett then started his coaching career at Atkins High School in 1939, where he coached for two seasons before having his career interrupted by World War II. In 1944 he returned to coaching, taking over head coaching duties at tradition-rich Little Rock Central High School. After an unbeaten 14–0 season in 1946 his team was named mythical national high school champion.
In 1948, Burnett left Little Rock High for his alma mater Arkansas Tech, where he served as head coach for six seasons. He compiled a 30–24–3 overall record, including leading Tech to back-to-back AIC titles in 1948 and 1949. However, after some less successful seasons Burnett left Arkansas Tech to coach at North Little Rock High School from 1954 to 1956. He was inducted to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1974.