Where Raymond Berry ranks among the NFL’s greatest wide receivers isn’t discussed nearly as often as it should be. That’s because Berry — whose family announced Monday that he died last week at age 93 — last played in the 1967 season.
Yet there was a time when Berry was considered the greatest to ever haul in a pass. When he retired after 13 seasons with the Baltimore Colts, he was the NFL’s all-time leader in both receptions (631) and yards (9,275).
What makes that especially remarkable is that Berry put up those numbers during the “3 yards and a cloud of dust” era.
In the 1958 NFL Championship Game — known as “The Greatest Game Ever Played” — Berry delivered one of the finest postseason performances in league history, catching 12 passes for 178 yards. To put that in perspective, those 178 yards alone would’ve ranked in the top half of the NFL’s season receiving leaders that year.
Raymond Berry Dies at 93: Where Berry Ranks Among Top 10 Colts of All-Time
Berry, a Hall of Famer who led the NFL in receiving three times, helped the Colts win back-to-back NFL championships. That’s pretty remarkable for someone who made 33 total catches in his three-year college career at SMU and didn’t get selected until the 20th round in the 1954 NFL Draft.
Berry still sits behind only three players (Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton) on the Colts all-time receiving yards list — despite retiring almost 60 years ago and playing in a run-first era.
To say Berry was ahead of his time is putting it mildly. His résumé also raises a larger question: Where does he rank among the greatest players in Colts history? Here’s our top 10.
Top 10 Colts of all-time
1. Peyton Manning, QB
The greatest player in NFL history? Manning belongs in the conversation. He owns the NFL record with five MVP awards and either holds or has held virtually every major passing record. A legend among Colts quarterbacks, Manning currently ranks among the league’s top three all-time in passing touchdowns, yards and wins.
2. Johnny Unitas, QB
Johnny U is an NFL icon, the face of the Baltimore Colts era. Unitas won three NFL championships, including a Super Bowl title, earned three league MVP awards, made 10 Pro Bowls and was a seven-time first-team All-Pro.
3. Marvin Harrison, WR
Harrison ranks fifth in NFL history in receptions (1,102) and ninth in receiving yards (14,580).
His chemistry with Manning was unmatched, helping power one of the greatest offenses in league history. Harrison capped his career with a Super Bowl title, then a Hall of Fame induction in 2016.
4. Raymond Berry, WR
Berry belongs firmly in the Colts’ top four. The Hall of Famer wasn’t just productive; he was remarkably dependable. In 154 career games over 13 seasons, Berry fumbled only once. After becoming a starter in his second season, he did not miss another game until his eighth year in the league.
In 1959, he won the receiving Triple Crown by leading the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches. By the time he retired, he had rewritten the league’s record book.
5. Gino Marchetti, DE
Marchetti, who served as a machine gunner during the Battle of the Bulge, was one of the greatest defensive players the sport has ever seen. A member of the NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Marchetti made 11 consecutive Pro Bowls and helped establish the standard for pass-rushing defensive ends.
6. John Mackey, TE
Mackey revolutionized the tight end position. His ability to stretch the field and create yards after the catch was unlike anything the league had previously seen. During his Colts career, he recorded 320 receptions for 5,126 yards and 38 touchdowns.
7. Jim Parker, OL
Widely regarded as one of the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history, Parker was named first-team All-Pro eight times.
Only three offensive linemen have earned more first-team All-Pro selections. He also played 139 consecutive games and excelled at both left tackle and left guard.
8. Lenny Moore, RB
Like Berry, Moore was ahead of his time. A versatile offensive weapon, he began his NFL career as a flanker before moving to running back. Moore averaged 4.8 yards per carry for his career and posted five seasons with more than 40 receptions.
9. Reggie Wayne, WR
Wayne broke Manning’s records for the most games played and most wins by a Colt. He has the 11th most receptions (1,070) and 10th most receiving yards (14,345) in NFL history. Wayne was a six-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl champion. He is now the wide receivers coach for the Colts.
10. Edgerrin James, RB
Despite spending only seven of his 11 NFL seasons with the Colts, James remains the franchise’s all-time rushing leader with 9,226 yards. The Hall of Famer led the NFL in rushing yards in each of his first two seasons and finished his career with 12,246 rushing yards, 14th most in league history.
Where Raymond Berry Ranks in Colts History
Berry no longer owns the NFL receiving records he once held. Time and a more pass-friendly game have seen to that.
But nearly six decades after his retirement, he remains one of the defining figures in Colts history (as the team looks ahead to this season). That’s why he belongs comfortably among the franchise’s five greatest players — and why his name deserves a larger place in conversations about the greatest wide receivers the game has ever seen.
Main Photo Courtesy of David Boss – Imagn Images
