Raymond Berry
Encyclopedia
Raymond Emmett Berry is a former football
wide receiver
. He played for the Baltimore Colts
during their two NFL
championship wins. He later had a career in coaching, highlighted by his trip to Super Bowl XX
as head coach of the New England Patriots
. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
.
, Berry received only 33 passes total before being selected by the Colts in the 20th round of the 1954 NFL draft. Of course, during the early 1950s, colleges specialized in the running game. As Berry said, "I didn't catch many passes because not many were thrown".
Berry, however, became a permanent starter on the team by his second NFL season, and didn't miss a single game until his eighth year in the league. During his career, he led the NFL in receptions three times. In his career he only dropped a total of two passes. He was selected to the Pro Bowl six times, from 1957–61 and in 1965. He also made the all-NFL team from 1958-1960. Berry was considered the very identity of the great Colts' teams of the 1950s and 1960s (along with Johnny Unitas
, Alan Ameche
, Lenny Moore
, John Mackey
, Gino Marchetti
, Art Donovan
and Jim Parker). He was famous for his attention to detail and preparation. He and quarterback John Unitas regularly worked after practice and developed the timing and knowledge of each other's abilities that made each more effective. In addition to his great record as a pass receiver, Berry's dedication to his craft is demonstrated by, in a 13-year career, his fumbling the football only once.
One of Berry's most notable performances was in the 1958 NFL Championship Game
, known as "The Greatest Game Ever Played," in which he caught a championship-record 12 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown. During the Colts' final game-winning drive in overtime, Berry had two key receptions for 33 yards. He also caught 3 consecutive passes for 62 yards to set up the Colts tying field goal at the end of regulation.
Raymond Berry ended his NFL career in 1967 with an NFL record 631 receptions for 9,275 yards and 68 touchdowns (14.7 yards per catch). In 1973, Berry was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in Canton, Ohio
. In 1999, he was ranked No. 40 on The Sporting News
list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.
as receivers coach under Chuck Fairbanks
in 1978. He stayed on with new coach Ron Erhardt
until Erhardt and his entire staff were fired following a 2-14 1981 season. Berry left football and worked in the private sector in Medfield, MA until the Patriots fired Ron Meyer
in the middle of the 1984 season and hired Berry to replace him. Under his leadership, the Patriots won 4 of their last 8 games and finished the season with an 9-7 record. Berry's importance to the team was reflected less in his initial win-loss record than in the respect he immediately earned in the locker room - "Raymond Berry earned more respect in one day than Ron Meyer earned in three years," according to running back Tony Collins
.
In the 1985 season, the team did even better, recording an 11-5 record and making the playoffs as a wildcard team. They went on to become the first team in NFL history ever to advance to the Super Bowl by winning 3 playoff games on the road, defeating New York Jets
26-14, the Los Angeles Raiders
, 27-20, and the Miami Dolphins
31-14. New England's win against Miami was particularly surprising because the Patriots had not beaten the Dolphins at the Orange Bowl
(Miami's then home stadium) since 1966, in Miami's first AFL season. The Patriots had lost to the Dolphins there 18 consecutive times, including a 30-27 loss in week 15 of the regular season. In addition, the Dolphins had recorded an AFC best 12-4 record and had been the only team during the season to defeat the Chicago Bears
, who had stormed to the top of the NFC with a 15-1 record and advanced to the Super Bowl by shutting out both their opponents in the playoffs.
But despite the Patriots' success in the playoffs, they proved unable to compete with the Bears in Super Bowl XX
, losing 46-10 in what was at the time the most lopsided defeat in Super Bowl history. "We couldn't protect the quarterback, and that was my fault. I couldn't come up with a system to handle the Bears' pass rush," Berry acknowledged.
The following season, Berry's Patriots again recorded an 11-5 record and made the playoffs, but this time lost in the first round of the postseason. This would be the last time the Patriots would make the playoffs with Berry as their coach. They narrowly missed the playoffs with an 8-7(during a strike shortened season) record in 1987, and a 9-7 record in 1988. Then in Berry's last year as a coach, the Patriots finished the 1989 season 5-11. New Patriots team owner Victor Kiam
demanded Berry relinquish control over personnel and reorganize his staff. Berry refused and was fired.
Berry's overall coaching record is 48 wins and 39 losses, and 3-2 in the playoffs.
Berry currently lives with his wife in Murfreesboro
, Tennessee
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
. He played for the Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
during their two NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
championship wins. He later had a career in coaching, highlighted by his trip to Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX was an American football championship game played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1985 regular season...
as head coach of the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
.
Military service
Raymond Berry enlisted as a private in the Maryland Army National Guard on May 17, 1957. He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 684th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion (90 mm Gun), located near Baltimore. He subsequently served in Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 684th Missile Battalion (Nike); Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 224th Field Artillery Group; Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 691st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group; and Company B, 16th Special Forces Group, all components of the Maryland National Guard. He was discharged from the National Guard in March 1963, at the end of his second enlistment, with the rank of Specialist Four.NFL career
In high school and college, Berry caught very few passes. He didn't start on his high-school team until he was a senior, even though his father was the coach. In three seasons at Southern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
, Berry received only 33 passes total before being selected by the Colts in the 20th round of the 1954 NFL draft. Of course, during the early 1950s, colleges specialized in the running game. As Berry said, "I didn't catch many passes because not many were thrown".
Berry, however, became a permanent starter on the team by his second NFL season, and didn't miss a single game until his eighth year in the league. During his career, he led the NFL in receptions three times. In his career he only dropped a total of two passes. He was selected to the Pro Bowl six times, from 1957–61 and in 1965. He also made the all-NFL team from 1958-1960. Berry was considered the very identity of the great Colts' teams of the 1950s and 1960s (along with Johnny Unitas
Johnny Unitas
John Constantine Unitas , known as Johnny Unitas or "Johnny U", and nicknamed "The Golden Arm", was a professional American football player in the 1950s through the 1970s, spending the majority of his career with the Baltimore Colts. He was a record-setting quarterback, and the National Football...
, Alan Ameche
Alan Ameche
Lino Dante "Alan" Ameche , nicknamed "The Horse", was an American football player who played six seasons with the Baltimore Colts in the National Football League after winning the Heisman Trophy in college at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He was elected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first...
, Lenny Moore
Lenny Moore
Leonard Edward Moore is a former American football halfback who played for Penn State in college and the Baltimore Colts. He came to the Colts in 1956, and had a productive first pro season and was named the NFL Rookie of The Year...
, John Mackey
John Mackey (American football)
John Mackey was an American Football tight end who grew up in Roosevelt, Long Island and played for the Baltimore Colts and the San Diego Chargers . He played college football at Syracuse University...
, Gino Marchetti
Gino Marchetti
Gino John Marchetti is a former professional American football player in the National Football League. A defensive end, he played in 1952 for the Dallas Texans and from 1953 to 1966 for the Baltimore Colts.-Early years:...
, Art Donovan
Art Donovan
Arthur Donovan, Jr. is a former American football defensive tackle, better known as Art 'How much does dat guy weigh?' Donovan, who played for three National Football League teams, most notably the Baltimore Colts...
and Jim Parker). He was famous for his attention to detail and preparation. He and quarterback John Unitas regularly worked after practice and developed the timing and knowledge of each other's abilities that made each more effective. In addition to his great record as a pass receiver, Berry's dedication to his craft is demonstrated by, in a 13-year career, his fumbling the football only once.
One of Berry's most notable performances was in the 1958 NFL Championship Game
NFL Championship Game, 1958
The 1958 National Football League Championship Game was played on December 28, 1958 at Yankee Stadium in New York City. It was the first ever National Football League playoff game to go into sudden death overtime. The final score was Baltimore Colts 23, New York Giants 17. The game has since...
, known as "The Greatest Game Ever Played," in which he caught a championship-record 12 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown. During the Colts' final game-winning drive in overtime, Berry had two key receptions for 33 yards. He also caught 3 consecutive passes for 62 yards to set up the Colts tying field goal at the end of regulation.
Raymond Berry ended his NFL career in 1967 with an NFL record 631 receptions for 9,275 yards and 68 touchdowns (14.7 yards per catch). In 1973, Berry was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. In 1999, he was ranked No. 40 on The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.
Coaching career
Berry joined the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
as receivers coach under Chuck Fairbanks
Chuck Fairbanks
Chuck Fairbanks is a former American football coach, a head coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. The offensive and defensive systems he introduced and helped develop have proven influential in the NFL....
in 1978. He stayed on with new coach Ron Erhardt
Ron Erhardt
Ron Erhardt is a former football coach at both the collegiate and professional levels, and from 1979-1981 served as head coach of the National Football League's New England Patriots.-College assistant and high school head coach:...
until Erhardt and his entire staff were fired following a 2-14 1981 season. Berry left football and worked in the private sector in Medfield, MA until the Patriots fired Ron Meyer
Ron Meyer
-References:...
in the middle of the 1984 season and hired Berry to replace him. Under his leadership, the Patriots won 4 of their last 8 games and finished the season with an 9-7 record. Berry's importance to the team was reflected less in his initial win-loss record than in the respect he immediately earned in the locker room - "Raymond Berry earned more respect in one day than Ron Meyer earned in three years," according to running back Tony Collins
Tony Collins
Anthony Collins is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League and the Arena Football League.-Early years:...
.
In the 1985 season, the team did even better, recording an 11-5 record and making the playoffs as a wildcard team. They went on to become the first team in NFL history ever to advance to the Super Bowl by winning 3 playoff games on the road, defeating New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
26-14, the Los Angeles Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 27-20, and the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
31-14. New England's win against Miami was particularly surprising because the Patriots had not beaten the Dolphins at the Orange Bowl
Miami Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl, formerly Burdine Stadium, was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida, west of downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the Miami Hurricanes college football team...
(Miami's then home stadium) since 1966, in Miami's first AFL season. The Patriots had lost to the Dolphins there 18 consecutive times, including a 30-27 loss in week 15 of the regular season. In addition, the Dolphins had recorded an AFC best 12-4 record and had been the only team during the season to defeat the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, who had stormed to the top of the NFC with a 15-1 record and advanced to the Super Bowl by shutting out both their opponents in the playoffs.
But despite the Patriots' success in the playoffs, they proved unable to compete with the Bears in Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX was an American football championship game played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1985 regular season...
, losing 46-10 in what was at the time the most lopsided defeat in Super Bowl history. "We couldn't protect the quarterback, and that was my fault. I couldn't come up with a system to handle the Bears' pass rush," Berry acknowledged.
The following season, Berry's Patriots again recorded an 11-5 record and made the playoffs, but this time lost in the first round of the postseason. This would be the last time the Patriots would make the playoffs with Berry as their coach. They narrowly missed the playoffs with an 8-7(during a strike shortened season) record in 1987, and a 9-7 record in 1988. Then in Berry's last year as a coach, the Patriots finished the 1989 season 5-11. New Patriots team owner Victor Kiam
Victor Kiam
Victor K. Kiam was an American entrepreneur and the owner of the New England Patriots football team from 1988-1991....
demanded Berry relinquish control over personnel and reorganize his staff. Berry refused and was fired.
Berry's overall coaching record is 48 wins and 39 losses, and 3-2 in the playoffs.
Berry currently lives with his wife in Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
External links
- Pro Football Hall of Fame: Member profile
- Gallery of Raymond Berry football cards