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Billy Ray Barnes, a Philadelphia Eagles legend, died at age 90 on Wednesday, the team announced.
The Eagles released a statement Friday night, saying Barnes died in Landis, North Carolina, surrounded by his family and friends.
“He was 90 years old and had a fabulous life,” Barnes’ daughter, Billi Barnes Akins, said at the Eagles’ announcement.
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Philadelphia Eagles legend Billy Ray Barnes has died at age 90. (Philadelphia Eagles)
Barnes was the team’s second-round pick in the 1957 NFL Draft out of Wake Forest, and was a key member of the Eagles’ 1960 championship team.
During his career, he earned three Pro Bowl honors in his five seasons with the franchise.
“One of the things he loved about the Eagles is that they were the underdog in that championship game,” Akins added. “Dad always liked being the underdog. He said it made him tougher, it made him stronger, it made him play harder.
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“He said the only thing that allowed them to win was their team. They were a very united team and they believed in each other.”
Barnes was an important component of that championship team’s offense, leading the team in carries and receptions at running back.
Over his five seasons in Philadelphia, Barnes rushed for 2,391 yards with 20 touchdowns, while posting 120 receptions for 1,275 yards with eight scores through the air.
A view of a Philadelphia Eagles helmet during the game against the Baltimore Ravens in a preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium on August 9, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (G Fiume/Getty Images)
“The most precious memory of everything up there is the fans,” Barnes said in the 2021 article “Where Are They Now?” “I played there for five years, but I lived there year-round for about eight years. People were great to me in Philly.”
After his time in Philadelphia, Barnes played two seasons each with the Minnesota Vikings and the then-Washington Redskins.
Then, after his playing days, Barnes served as an assistant coach for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons.
The Eagles had Barnes and his teammates return to Philadelphia for their 50-year reunion of the 1960 championship during the 2010 campaign.
“He never realized how people thought these guys were the greatest of all time,” Akins recalled. “People you wouldn’t even know would just call him and approach him.
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“The most important thing was the friendships he had made there. They were lifelong. He talked to a bunch of kids on the phone for years. He enjoyed everything about Philadelphia.”
