Berry was a two-time NFL champion with the Baltimore Colts and coached the New England Patriots.
WASHINGTON — Raymond Berry, a Pro Football Hall of Famer and NFL coach, has died. He was 93.
Berry was a two-time NFL champion with the Baltimore Colts, before the team moved to Indianapolis, and went on to coach the New England Patriots.
His family said in a statement that Berry died peacefully at his home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on Monday, May 25, and was surrounded by family.
The Texas native was renowned for his hard work ethic and determination and is considered one of the most reliable receivers in league history, rarely dropping a pass and fumbling only twice.
Berry’s career is described by the NFL as “astonishing,” which the organization said was “all the more amazing considering how unlikely it was that he even made it into the NFL.”
He was described as “skinny,” “slow of step and long on odds,” wore a brace and special shoes because of a misalignment in his back, and only made 33 catches across three college seasons at Southern Methodist by the time he was drafted by the Colts in 1954.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame said in a statement about his passing that he “simply believed in preparation.”
“Luck is something which happens when preparation meets opportunity,” Berry was quoted as saying. “One play may make the difference in winning or losing a game. I must be prepared to make my own luck.”
Berry hung up his jersey in 1967, cutting his career earlier than planned due to injury, but he simply moved off the field and onto the sidelines, becoming a beloved coach who led several NFL teams to winning seasons.
Before becoming a head coach with the New England Patriots in 1984, Berry coached receivers for the Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns and Patriots.
Notably, Berry led the New England Patriots to the franchise’s first Super Bowl in 1986.
Berry was fired after the 1989 season but found ways to stay in the sport, working as a quarterback coach with the Lions in 1991 and the Denver Broncos in 1992.
Berry was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1973.
In a statement from the New England Patriots, Berry was remembered as a “calming influence” who garnered “huge respect among the players,” and his teaching style was described as transformative for many players.
Berry is survived by his wife of 65 years, Sally, their three children and nine grandchildren.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.