Raymond Berry has sadly passed away at the age of 93. The NFL Hall of Famer died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, on May 25, per TMZ.
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Following the news of Raymond's death, Jim Porter, the president and CEO of the NFL Hall of Fame, released a statement.
"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 and thousands of repetitions in practice created a dynamic tandem that thought with one mind on game days," Porter said.
Porter's statement continued by focusing on the success Raymond had during the late 1950s.
"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."
Raymond spent 13 years in the NFL. During that time, he was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1950s, named to six Pro Bowl teams, and three consecutive All-Pro first teams. Berry also finished in the top five of MVP voting during the 1959 season. He won back-to-back Super Bowls with the Baltimore Colts in 1958 and 1959.
Raymond Berry Remained in Football After Retirement
Following his retirement, Raymond remained connected to professional football. He segued into a coaching career that began with the Dallas Cowboys. His first role was that of a wide receiver coach. He then had other roles around the NFL throughout the 1970s and early 1980s.
Eventually, Raymond was hired as the head coach of the New England Patriots in 1984. He remained in New England's hot seat for six seasons. During that time, he took them to one Super Bowl, losing to the Chicago Bears, 46-10.
"He analyzed. He psychoanalyzed. Knew exactly what to do, how to do it, when to do it, he knew what he was doing, knew how to practice, and knew how to work on things that you needed to work on in order to improve your overall game," former teammate Lenny Moore said of Raymond in a 2001 interview.
There is no further information regarding Raymond's passing. Nor have any details of his funeral been shared.
All we know right now is the NFL lost a legend, and a family lost a loved one. RIP.
