Pro Football Hall of Famer Raymond Berry, whose reliable hands were often found on the receiving end of passes from Johnny Unitas with the Baltimore Colts, has died at the age of 93.
Berry's family, in a statement released through the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Monday, said Berry died peacefully at home on May 25 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, while surrounded by family.
Berry played in the NFL for 13 seasons, all with the Colts, and was a six-time Pro Bowl selection who led the league three times in catches and yards and twice in touchdowns. He was a member of the NFL 100 all-time team, and his No. 82 was retired by the Colts. He also is a member of the Baltimore Ravens' Ring of Honor.
"Simply put, not only was Raymond Berry one [of] the greatest players in the history of the Colts, but he was one of the most influential and foundational players of the modern NFL," Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon said in a statement.
The Ravens, meanwhile, called Berry "a football icon" and added that "his impact on Baltimore sports and the NFL will endure forever," in their statement.
statement from Carlie Irsay-Gordon on the passing of colts legend Raymond Berry: pic.twitter.com/GtT4LOrpkH
Statement from the Baltimore Ravens: pic.twitter.com/GHkvSt5EyS
After his playing career, following 14 seasons as an assistant coach at both the NFL and college level, Berry was named head coach of the New England Patriots in 1984. One season later, he guided the wild-card Patriots to Super Bowl XX, where they lost to the Chicago Bears.
"Raymond Berry holds a special place in Patriots history," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. "He led our franchise to its first Super Bowl appearance following a remarkable playoff run, a milestone that was the greatest achievement in team history at the time. I was fortunate to get to know Raymond over the years, and one of my fondest memories was spending time with him and his son, Mark, during a trip to Israel in 2015 with several fellow Pro Football Hall of Famers. He was every bit the gentleman people knew him to be; humble, faithful, kind and deeply respected by all who knew him."
As a player, the split end might mostly be remembered for his performance in "The Greatest Game Ever Played" -- the 1958 NFL Championship Game, which is widely used as the mark for the rise of the NFL's popularity. Berry caught 12 passes -- a championship game record that stood until 2014 -- for 178 yards and a touchdown as the Colts beat the New York Giants 23-17 in the first sudden-death game in NFL history.