Ricky Proehl Named Wake Forest’s 2022 ACC Football Legend
11/2/2022 4:00:00 PM | Football
“I am humbled by the honor and proud to represent Wake Forest University!” – Ricky Proehl
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Wake Forest football alum and two-time Super Bowl champion, Ricky Proehl, will be honored as Wake Forest's ACC Legend this year at a ceremony on Friday, Dec. 2 in Charlotte.
In a statement to Wake Forest Athletics on being recognized for this honor Proehl said, "I am humbled by the honor and proud to represent Wake Forest University!"
Proehl was a four-year letterwinner with the Demon Deacons from 1986 to 1989. He holds multiple program records including most career receiving yards (2,949) and receiving touchdowns (25). He also finished his career with 188 receptions, which ranks third in program history, for an average of 15.7 yards per reception. Additionally, he has a program-high 12 100-yard games.
The New York native is one of nine players in Wake Forest history with 1,000 receiving yards in a season, with 1,053 in 1989, which earned him All-ACC honors.
Following his senior year, Proehl made the next step in his career when he was taken in the third round of the 1990 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, where he spent the first five seasons of his professional career.
While in Arizona, Proehl played in 80 games and started 65. He caught 287 passes for 3,840 yards and 21 touchdowns. His most successful of those five seasons came in 1993, where he finished in the top 25 league-wide in catches (65), yards (877) and touchdowns (7).
After spending two years with the Seattle Seahawks and one with the Chicago Bears, Proehl made his way to the Rams, where he would enjoy a successful five-year tenure. While in St. Louis, he caught 207 passes for 2,590 yards and 16 touchdowns.
In his 10th NFL season in 1999, Proehl helped lead the Rams to a Super Bowl championship. He caught six passes for a game-high 100 yards and the lone touchdown in the NFC Championship game against the Buccaneers to book the ticket to the big game.
Following a three-year stint with the Panthers and two playoff runs, Proehl spent the last season of his career with the Indianapolis Colts and went out with his second Super Bowl championship in 2006 before hanging up the cleats.
He leads all Wake Four players with four Super Bowl appearances.
The 17-year NFL veteran finished his decorated career with 669 total catches, 8,878 yards and 54 touchdowns in the regular season. Additionally, he added 23 receptions for 369 yards and four touchdowns in 14 playoff games.
He was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
Ricky Proehl joins an iconic list of Demon Deacons to have earned this honor:
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2005: Safety Bill Armstrong, 1973-76
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2006: Running Back James McDougald, 1976-79
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2007: Quarterback Norm Snead, 1958-60
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2008: Tight End John Henry Mills, 1988-92
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2009: Running Back Bill Barnes, 1954-56
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2010: Running Back Larry Hopkins, 1970-71
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2011: Quarterback Larry Russell, 1969-71
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2012: Linebacker Ed Stetz, 1969-71
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2013: Quarterback Jay Venuto, 1979-80
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2014: Running Back Alan White, 1959-61
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2015: Kicker Chuck Ramsay, 1971-73
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2017: Punter Ryan Plackemeier, 2002-05
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2018: Center Steve Justice, 2004-07
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2019: Offensive & Defensive Tackle Bob McCreary, 1958-60
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2021: Wide Receiver Desmond Clark, 1995-98
