Dan Grayson

No. 91[1]
Date of birth	July 27, 1967
Place of birth	Paris, Texas, U.S.
Date of death	August 1, 2021(2021-08-01) (aged 54)
Place of death	Kennewick, Washington, U.S.
Career information
CFL status	International
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	240 lb (110 kg)
US college	Wenatchee Valley (1986) Washington State (1987–1989)
High school	Woodland (Woodland, Washington)
NFL draft	1990 / round: 7 / pick: 182
Drafted by	Pittsburgh Steelers
Career history
As player
1990	Pittsburgh Steelers*
1991	San Francisco 49ers*
1992	Saskatchewan Roughriders
*Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-Pac-10 (1989)
Career stats
Playing stats at NFL.com

Danny Ray Grayson (July 27, 1967 – August 1, 2021) was an American professional football linebacker who played one season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round of the 1990 NFL draft. He played college football at Wenatchee Valley College and Washington State University.

Danny Ray Grayson was born on July 27, 1967, in Paris, Texas.^[1] He attended Woodland High School in Woodland, Washington.^[1]

Grayson played college football at Wenatchee Valley College in 1986 as a wingback.^[1][2] He then joined the Washington State Cougars of Washington State University as a walk-on in 1987.^[2][1] After Grayson made a "spectacular" forced fumble in spring practice, head coach Dennis Erickson shouted, “Grayson! I’ll tell you what, you’re on scholarship right now!”^[2] Grayson became a starter at middle linebacker in 1988 and was a two-year letterman from 1988 to 1989.^[1][2] He was a first-team All-Pac-10 selection at linebacker his senior year in 1989.^[3]

Grayson was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round, with the 182nd overall pick, of the 1990 NFL draft.^[1] He officially signed with the team on July 11, 1990.^[4] He was waived on August 20, 1990.^[5]

Grayson signed with the San Francisco 49ers on March 18, 1991.^[6] He was waived by the 49ers on August 21, 1991.^[7]

Grayson played in seven games for the with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League in 1992, recording 19 defensive tackles, four special teams tackles, and one sack.^[1]

Grayson later worked at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.^[2] He died on October 1, 2021, in Kennewick, Washington at a Quality Inn he had been living at.^[1]

About ten years before his death, Grayson started having behavioral difficulties and also underwent a personality change.^[2] Due to this, Grayson believed he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy from his football career and had his brain donated to science.^[2]

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