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Billy Ray Barnes Philadelphia Eagles legend, died Wednesday at age 90, the team announced.
The Eagles released a statement Friday night saying Barnes died at Landis, North Carolina surrounded by his family and friends.
“He was 90 and lived an amazing life,” Barnes' daughter, Billie Barnes Akins, said in a statement from the Eagles.
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Philadelphia Eagles legend Billy Ray Barnes has died at the age of 90. (Philadelphia Eagles)
Barnes was the team's second-round pick in the 1957 NFL Draft out of Wake Forest, and he was a key member of the Eagles' 1960 championship team.
During his career, he earned three Pro Bowl honors in five seasons with the franchise.
“One of the things he liked about the Eagles was that they were underdogs in that championship game,” Akins added. “Dad always liked being an outsider. He said it made him tougher, stronger, made him play harder.
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“He said the only thing that allowed them to win was their team. It was a really close-knit team that believed in each other.”
Barnes was an important part of that championship team's offense, leading the team in rushing and receiving as a linebacker.
In five seasons in Philadelphia, Barnes rushed for 2,391 yards and 20 touchdowns, had 120 receptions for 1,275 yards and eight scores through the air.
A view of the Philadelphia Eagles helmet during a 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 fondest memory of everything up there is the fans,” Barnes said in the 2021 film Where Are They Now? “I played there for five years, but lived there year-round for about eight years. I really liked the people in Philadelphia.”
After his stint in Philadelphia, Barnes played two seasons each for the Minnesota Vikings and the then-Washington Redskins.
Then, after his playing career, Barnes worked as an assistant coach for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons.
The Eagles brought Barnes and his teammates back to Philadelphia for their 50-year reunion of the 1960 championship during the 2010 campaign.
“He never understood why people thought these guys were the greatest,” Akins recalled. “People you didn’t even know would just call him and reach out to him.
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“The biggest achievement was the friendships he made there. They lasted a lifetime. He's been talking to a bunch of guys on the phone for years. He loved everything about Philadelphia.”
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