Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Raymond Berry died on May 25 at his home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, from complications of pneumonia.
He was 93.
Berry was the oldest living member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, according to reports.
His passing leaves Hall of Fame running back Lenny Moore, 92, as the only surviving member of the historic 1958 Baltimore Colts championship team.
A Legendary Career
Berry played 13 seasons for the Colts after being selected as a 20th-round draft pick from Southern Methodist University.
He earned six Pro Bowl selections and retired in 1967 with an NFL-record 631 receptions.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973 and named to the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994.
Berry also coached the New England Patriots for six years, leading them to the 1985 Super Bowl.
“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,” the Indianapolis Colts wrote in a social media post.
“Raymond Berry is a football icon.
As one of the greatest wide receivers in league history, he routinely thrilled fans with his clutch playmaking, precise approach and unmatched work ethic,” the Ravens wrote.
Unmatched Preparation
Berry was known for his extreme preparation.
Before the 1958 NFL championship game at Yankee Stadium, he meticulously checked the stadium turf for slick spots.
His efforts resulted in 12 receptions, helping Baltimore defeat the New York Giants 23-17 in sudden-death overtime, a matchup dubbed "The Greatest Game Ever Played."
His unique routine included carrying a bathroom scale on road trips, cooking his own salmon meals, and washing his own practice uniforms.
He spent up to 13 hours on his days off studying game films using a 16-mm Bell & Howell projector that he specifically requested in his contract.
“He was the hardest-working guy of all time,” Colts fullback Alan Ameche once said. “Raymond would stay after practice and work on impossible catches with Unitas.”
Berry innovated several receiving techniques, including using the goalpost uprights to screen defenders and pioneering contact lenses on the field.
He wore a shoe lift and a canvas hip brace to manage a chronic back condition, and once played through his 1955 rookie year with a dislocated finger.
“People thought I was nuts,” Berry told The Baltimore Sun in 2011. “But one of the gifts I had was drive; it pushed me to explore every boundary.”
Berry is survived by his wife of 65 years, Sally Crook Berry, his son Mark Raymond Berry, daughters Suzanne Wich and Ashley Bass, and nine grandchildren.
