 Berry on a 1961 trading card | |||||||||
| No. 82 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Split end | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | February 27, 1933 Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 187 lb (85 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Paris (Paris, Texas) | ||||||||
| College: | Shreiner (1950) SMU (1951–1954) | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1954 / round: 20 / pick: 232 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| As a player: | |||||||||
| As a coach: | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Head coaching record | |||||||||
| Regular season: | 48–39 (.552) | ||||||||
| Postseason: | 3–2 (.600) | ||||||||
| Career: | 51–41 (.554) | ||||||||
| Record at Pro Football Reference | |||||||||
Raymond Emmett Berry Jr. (born February 27, 1933) is an American former professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL). He played as a split end for the Baltimore Colts from 1955 to 1967, and after several assistant coaching positions, was head coach of the New England Patriots from 1984 to 1989. With the Colts, Berry led the NFL in receptions and receiving yards three times and in receiving touchdowns twice, and was invited to six Pro Bowls. The Colts won consecutive NFL championships, including the 1958 NFL Championship Game—known as "The Greatest Game Ever Played"—in which Berry caught 12 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown. He retired as the all-time NFL leader in both receptions and receiving yardage.
After catching very few passes in high school and college, Berry was selected in the 20th round of the 1954 NFL draft by the Colts and was considered a long shot to make the team's roster. Diminutive and unassuming, his subsequent rise to the Pro Football Hall of Fame has been touted as one of football's cinderella stories. He made up for his lack of athleticism through rigorous practice and attention to detail, and was known for his near-perfect route running and sure-handedness. Berry was a favorite target of quarterback Johnny Unitas, and the two were regarded as the dominant passing and receiving duo of their era.
After his playing career, Berry coached wide receivers for the Dallas Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks, the Detroit Lions, the Cleveland Browns and the Patriots. He became the Patriots head coach in 1984 and held that position through 1989, amassing 48 wins and 39 losses. Berry led the Patriots to Super Bowl XX following the 1985 season, where his team was defeated by the Chicago Bears, 46–10. In recognition of his playing career, Berry was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973. He is a member of the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team as one of the best players of the NFL's first 75 years and a unanimous selection to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team as one of the best players of the NFL's first 100 years. His number 82 is retired by the Indianapolis Colts and he is a member of the Patriots 1980s All-Decade Team. As of 2024, Barry is currently the oldest living former player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.