The wide receiver who connected with Baltimore Colts’ Johnny Unitas for one of the best passing combinations in the NFL has died.
Raymond Berry was 93 years old.
Berry’s family said he died at home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on May 25. He was surrounded by family at the time, The Associated Press reported.
The NFL said Berry was “quiet and reserved in demeanor,” but his “numbers were boisterous; when he finished his playing career in 1967, he was the league’s all-time leader in catches and receiving yards.”
He was a two-time NFL champion with the Colts, frequently receiving a ball rocketed by Unitas.
The NFL called them “First and greatest QB-WR combos.”
“In NFL history, there are only a handful of players who we can say truly changed the sport. Raymond Berry is one of the few names on that list,” Indianapolis Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon said, according to The Associated Press. “As a player during a historic era of Colts football, Raymond redefined the standard for what a wide receiver could and should be. ... Simply put, not only was Raymond Berry one the greatest players in the history of the Colts, but he was one of the most influential and foundational players of the modern NFL.”
Berry was a six-time Pro Bowler who led the NFL in receptions three times and receiving yards, again three times.
In all, he had 631 receptions, 9,725 yards, and 68 touchdowns over his career. He was also a three-time All-Pro, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973, a member of the Hall of Fame’s All-1950s Team, and a member of the NFL’s All-Time 75th and 100th Anniversary teams.
The Colts retired his number 82, and Southern Methodist University, from where he was drafted as the 20th round pick in 1954, retired his number 87, the AP reported.
After a Hall-of-Fame-worthy career as a player, he transitioned to the sidelines as the head coach of the New England Patriots who “reshaped Patriots culture and guided one of th emost significant seasons in franchise history,” taking the team to its first Super Bowl appearance, the Patriots said.
"The entire Patriots family joins me in mourning Raymond’s passing and celebrating a life that left a lasting impact on our franchise and the National Football League. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Berry family and all who mourn his loss,“ Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft said in a statement.
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