From North Texas State, Ray Renfro was drafted in the fourth round (48th overall) of the 1952 NFL Draft and emerged as one of Paul Brown's classic small-school discoveries. Armed with track-star sprinter speed and fluid open-field acceleration, Renfro stepped onto the field as a dual-threat weapon before evolving into one of the most explosive deep-ball flankers of the 1950s.

Renfro broke into the league as a halfback and kick returner, showcasing his game-breaking gear by leading the NFL with a 30.1-yard kickoff return average as a rookie. Once the coaching staff transitioned him full-time to flanker, his vertical speed unlocked a whole new dimension for Otto Graham's passing attack. He served as a primary perimeter target on back-to-back title squads, catching a 35-yard touchdown in the 1954 NFL Championship Game rout of Detroit and hauling in a 50-yard strike in the 1955 title victory over Los Angeles.

Renfro’s best season came in 1955, when he led the NFL with 60.3 receiving yards per game and averaged a staggering 21.3 yards per reception to earn his first Pro Bowl selection. He went on to collect two more Pro Bowl nods in 1957 and 1960, consistently blowing the top off defensive coverages and stretching the field for Milt Plum and the Cleveland offense.

After hanging up his pads following the 1963 season, Renfro transitioned into coaching and eventually earned a Super Bowl ring as the quarterbacks and wide receivers coach for Tom Landry's Dallas Cowboys.

Across 12 seasons spent entirely in Cleveland (1952–1963), Renfro appeared in 130 regular-season games and seven NFL Championship Games. He compiled 281 receptions, 5,508 receiving yards, and 50 receiving touchdowns, averaging a phenomenal 19.6 yards per catch for his career. The franchise officially recognized his place in team history by naming him a Cleveland Browns Legend in 2001.