RIP Raymond Berry

[Ian]

For anyone who hasn't seen this:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/48938330/hall-fame-receiver-nfl-coach-raymond-berry-dies-93

 

[Steve102]

Godspeed, Coach.

 

[XLIX]

An important part of this team's history, not to mention a helluva WR in his day. Very sad.

 

[RobertWeathers]

For the younger crowd, while he inherited a pretty talented roster in 1984 that talent did not translate into wins until he replaced Ron Meyer as HC of the NEP.

Looks like he was 93. What a life he lived....

 

[turkeyneck]

Unitas to Berry was a heck of a connection back in the 3 yds and a cloud of dust era.

 

[mayoclinic]

God bless.

 

[upstater1]

I have very fond memories of this coach. He seemed to optimize what the Patriots could do back then, and he had several fine seasons while presiding over a team full of coke addicts!

 

[maust]

RIP Raymond Berry and congrats on a life well and truly lived. This Pats fan will always have an unqualified soft spot in his heart for that particular Colts HoF'er. The spots occupied by Vinatieri & Unitas come with qualifiers but not Coach Berry

 

[Urgent]

Great part of Patriots history.
First Super Bowl.
He was the coach when I first got season tickets back in the '80's.
Good long life.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Five consecutive winning seasons might not sound that great to those who grew up in the Dynasty, but for patsfans in the 70s-90s, that's a huge accomplishment.

Note that I believe he led the Pats to the Super Bowl AFTER they became the first team in the league to have voluntary drug testing... in hindsight that might be one of the reasons we got blown out by the Bears!

The Ray Berry Patriots were also the first team to win 3 playoff games on the road to make it to the Super Bowl

Rod Rust and **** McPhearson weren't exactly improvements after he was fired after a 5-11 season and partly because Victor Kiam didn't want coaches to control personnel decisions.

Whoever was calling the personnel picks for the next 3 years certainly didn't help the Pats more either

 

[Patjew]

He was the coach of the Pats when I fell in love with the team, and "Berry the Bears" is an awesome memory of 7th grade Patjew.

RIP

 

[SammyBlueCat]

God bless his family

 

[italian pat patriot]

Very very sad
He was the coach when i started to follows the team and that 1985 epic run with 3 road playoffs wins
Riposa in pace
Sei stato un grande

 

[borisman]

For anyone who hasn't seen this:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/48938330/hall-fame-receiver-nfl-coach-raymond-berry-dies-93

I saw it trending this morning. Did NOT want to click on it.

RIP Coach Berry

 

[TommyD4207]

Rest in peace coach - the classiest of acts.

 

[Raccoonsuit]

I started watching football just after Barry left.

I'm gonna admit something so stupid....
I never realized he was the same person as the Colts wr, one of the best ever.

I'm so dumb. I'm gonna see myself out until 4:01pm

 

[Pape]

RIP Coach

 

[oldrover]

93... wow. A great life as a football player, as a football coach, as a husband, as a father to 3, and a grandfather to 9.

God rest him and keep him, and may He comfort those who love and mourn him.

 

[bresna]

RIP Coach. Loved that 1985 team and I so wanted them to win that Super Bowl against the Bears. They were just outplayed by a great defense but Tony Eason... man, I hated that guy.

Rod Rust and **** McPhearson weren't exactly improvements after he was fired after a 5-11 season and partly because Victor Kiam didn't want coaches to control personnel decisions.

That was probably because Berry, a staunch supporter on the NFLPA, refused to play Doug Flutie, most likely because he crossed the picket line in 1987. Flutie was in his prime and was playing better than the other QBs on the roster but Berry refused to put him in. In fact, Berry famously benched him at the end of the 1988 season after Flutie had gone 6-3 up to that point and might have made the playoffs with a win. Flutie was a fan favorite - I remember chanting his name at several games during the 1989 season - and Kiam had to hear that.