SMU Legend Raymond Berry Passes Away at 93

Raymond Berry, the SMU football legend who became one of the NFL’s defining receivers with the Baltimore Colts, has died at 93.

Berry’s family said he died peacefully on May 25 at his home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, surrounded by family.

READ MORE: SMU Wide Receiver Signed By Dallas Cowboys As OTAs Begin

Before he became Johnny Unitas’ trusted target and a Pro Football Hall of Famer, Berry was a Mustang.

He earned two letters at SMU in 1953 and 1954 as a two-way player, later having his jersey retired in 2000 and entering the SMU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010.

SMU Athletics said it was “saddened to learn” of Berry’s passing and praised the “work ethic and dedication to excellence” that defined his football life.

Berry’s NFL rise still feels almost impossible. He was drafted by the Colts in the 20th round in 1954 after catching only 33 passes in three seasons at SMU.

Then he became a monster. Berry played 13 seasons, all with the Colts, finishing with a then-NFL record 631 receptions for 9,275 yards and 68 touchdowns. Even more ridiculous is the fact that he fumbled just once.

Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon called Berry “one [of] the greatest players in the history of the Colts” and “one of the most influential and foundational players of the modern NFL.”

The Ravens called him “a football icon” and said “his impact on Baltimore sports and the NFL will endure forever.”

Berry’s signature masterpiece came in the 1958 NFL Championship Game, the legendary “Greatest Game Ever Played.”

He caught 12 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown as Baltimore beat the New York Giants 23-17 in the NFL’s first sudden-death championship game.

He won another NFL title the next season and led the league in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns in 1959. In 1960, playing in a 12-game season, he caught 74 passes for 1,298 yards.

Berry later coached the New England Patriots to their first Super Bowl appearance after the 1985 season.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft said Berry “holds a special place in Patriots history” and remembered him as “humble, faithful, kind and deeply respected by all who knew him.”

Berry once explained his greatness simply: “Luck is something which happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

READ MORE: SMU Recruiting Misses Out On In-State Safety

About coaching New England, he later said, “It was a great six years for me.”

For SMU, Baltimore, New England and football itself, Berry leaves a giant legacy.

Join Our Roundtable Community For Free!

Share your takes, connect with our Roundtable writers, and talk sports with fellow fans. Download the free Roundtable App today and stay closer to the conversation.