Raymond Berry dies at 93

Raymond Berry, the Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver who helped define the Baltimore Colts’ passing game with Johnny Unitas and later coached the New England Patriots to their first Super Bowl, died on May 25 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He was 93. The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced his death on Monday, citing Berry’s family. The Hall said Berry died peacefully at home, surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren. ### When did Raymond Berry die, and how was it announced? The Pro Football Hall of Fame said on June 1 that Berry died on May 25, 2026, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Hall said the announcement came from Berry’s family and identified him as the longest-ago enshrinee still living before his death, as a member of the Class of 1973. (profootballhof.com) Berry’s family said he died peacefully at home. The Hall said he was survived by his wife of 65 years, Sally, along with three children and nine grandchildren, and that the family planned private services. ### Why is Berry so closely tied to the Baltimore Colts? Berry played all 13 of his NFL seasons with the Baltimore Colts from 1955 to 1967. (profootballhof.com) The Hall and ESPN said he was a six-time Pro Bowl selection who led the league three times in receptions and receiving yards and twice in touchdown catches. Jim Porter, the Hall’s president and chief executive, said Berry “worked harder to refine his skills and master his craft,” crediting the receiver’s repeated practice with Unitas for creating one of the league’s early quarterback-receiver combinations. Porter’s statement was released by the Hall on Monday. (profootballhof.com) ### What was Berry’s signature game? The 1958 NFL Championship Game remains the performance most often attached to Berry’s name. ESPN said Berry caught 12 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown as the Colts beat the New York Giants 23-17 in the first sudden-death title game in league history, a game long known as “The Greatest Game Ever Played.” (profootballhof.com) The Colts won a second straight NFL title the following season. In 1959, ESPN said, Berry led the league in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches, making him one of the few players to lead all three categories outright in one season. ### What did Berry do after his playing career? (espn.com) Berry moved into coaching after his playing days and later became head coach of the New England Patriots in 1984. NFL.com and Patriots.com said he led New England to Super Bowl XX after the 1985 season, the franchise’s first Super Bowl appearance. (espn.com) The Patriots kept Berry as head coach through the 1989 season. His coaching career added a second chapter to a résumé already anchored by his Colts career, Hall of Fame induction and place on the NFL’s 100th anniversary all-time team, according to ESPN. ### How did the Hall frame Berry’s legacy? (nfl.com) The Pro Football Hall of Fame said Berry “elevated route-running into an art form” and highlighted his first-ballot election in 1973. The Hall’s obituary focused on his precision, preparation and production rather than size or speed, echoing Porter’s statement about Berry’s work habits. (espn.com) The Hall’s June 1 obituary and the NFL’s memorial coverage are now the central public records of Berry’s death. The family said services will be private, and the Hall posted the full statement and obituary on its website Monday. (profootballhof.com)