Hall of Fame player and coach Raymond Berry passed away two weekends ago at the age of 93, according to a statement from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The wide receiver (or “split end”) entered the NFL with little fanfare when he was selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 20th round of the 1954 draft. He overcame the odds to make the team’s roster as a rookie, when he was limited to only 13 catches. However, he quickly emerged as a preferred target of Johnny Unitas over the following 12 years.
Berry earned four-straight All-Pro nods between 1957 and 1960, a stretch in which he averaged 60 catches for 963 yards and 10 touchdowns per season. He finished fifth in MVP voting in 1959 after hauling in a league-leading 14 touchdowns, and he followed that up with a 1960 campaign where he established career-highs in receptions (74) and receiving yards (1,298).
He won championships with the Colts in both 1958 and 1959, and his participation in the “The Greatest Game Ever Played” in that 1958 championship contest established his spot in NFL lore. Berry hauled in 12 catches for 178 yards and a score in that game.
Berry ended up playing his entire 13-year career in Baltimore, finishing with 631 catches for 9,275 yards and 68 touchdowns. When he retired at the end of the 1967 season, he was the NFL’s all-time leader in both receptions and receiving yards.
Following his playing career, Berry entered the coaching ranks. He had stints as the WRs coach with the Cowboys, Lions, Browns, and Patriots, plus a three-year stretch coaching wideouts at Arkansas. He got his only head coaching gig with the Patriots in 1984, and he helped guide the organization to their first Super Bowl appearance during his first full season at the helm in 1985. He finished his head coaching career with a record of 48-39. He coached quarterbacks with the Lions (1991) and Broncos (1992) before calling it a career.
Berry was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973, and he was later a member of the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. His number 82 was retired by the Colts, and he was named a member of the Patriots 1980s All-Decade Team.
“People said Raymond Berry was not blessed with the size or speed of other receivers in the National Football League, but no one worked harder to refine his skills and master his craft. The chemistry he developed with quarterback Johnny Unitas through hours of route-running thousands of repetitions in practice created a dynamic tandem that thought with one mind on game days,” said Jim Porter, the Hall of Fame’s president and CEO. “Together they helped the Colts win consecutive titles in the late 1950s, including the classic 1958 NFL Championship Game that served as a springboard for professional football becoming this country’s most popular sport.
“On top of that, there was no finer gentleman – a person who remained humble and grounded when others sought to thrust stardom upon him.”
We at PFR extend our condolences to Berry’s family and friends.
A great football life
RIP
The greatest slow receiver in the history of NFL Football. A great route runner and teammate. Him and Unitas were telepathic on the field.
Living proof of what just plain hard work and a great attitude can do for a person in life. This is a man who will be missed. Young people of today could do far worse if they were looking for a role model. RIP Ray, Completely enjoyed watching you play sir! The Anti Aiyuk and AJ Brown.
Could coach as well. His one mistake was not keeping Doug Flutie as starter in NE. He felt Eason was better.
Berry was from an era when you played for the love of the game because owners paid almost nothing back then. It’s estimated that Berry earned between $150,000 – $200,000 over his 13 year career. Today’s whining WRs should think about that.
Best route runner ever!!