And now, over four years after he last donned an NFL jersey, his dream of playing in the league again is alive.
Ray’s signing with the Bills also means he will reunite with Von Miller. The pair lined up opposite each other on the Broncos’ Super Bowl-winning defense and had worked out together the last few offseasons. Miller said that while he was happy to help his former teammate in their workouts, he had nothing to do with orchestrating Ray’s signing with the Bills, and emphasized that Ray’s second chance was purely a result of his own determination and character.
“Everything that Shane’s got, it’s all been all off of Shane. So Shane should feel proud about that. His opportunity is solely based off of him,” Miller said. “I’ve definitely seen him at his lowest. And I’ve seen him at his highest, too. And I constantly reminded him of who he is, and who he can be.”
While there’s still hurdles to overcome in the next few months, including staying healthy and making the final 53-man roster, Ray said that he’s proud of how far he’s already come, and getting one more opportunity is all he can ask for.
“I know everybody has hard times, and I understand that people don’t often get second chances. And mine came after a really long time. But like I’ve been telling everybody, the one thing I didn’t do is I didn’t quit on myself,” he said. “No matter how this ends, I can go back and be like, ‘I gave you everything that I had. And I can live with that.'”