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Billy Ray Barnes, a Philadelphia Eagles legend, died Wednesday at age 90, the team announced.
The Eagles released a statement Friday evening, saying Barnes died in Landis, North Carolina, while surrounded by family and friends.
“He was 90 years old and had a fabulous life,” Barnes’ daughter, Billi Barnes Akins, said in the Eagles announcement.
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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 during his five seasons with the franchise.
“One of the things he loved about the Eagles was that in that championship game, they were the underdogs,” Akins added. “Dad always loved being the underdog. He said it made him tougher, made him stronger, 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 close-knit team who believed in each other.”
Barnes was a major part of that championship team’s offense, leading the team in rushing and receiving as a halfback.
In his five seasons in Philadelphia, Barnes totaled 2,391 yards with 20 touchdowns, while making 120 receptions for 1,275 yards with eight scores through the air.
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 greatest memory of anything that happens up there is the fans,” Barnes said in the 2021 feature film “Where Are They Now?” “I played there for five years, but I lived there year-round for about eight years. The people were just great to me in Philadelphia.”
After his time in Philadelphia, Barnes played two seasons each with the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins.
Then, after his playing days, Barnes served as an assistant coach for the New Orleans Saints and the 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 realized how much people considered these guys to be the best of all time,” Akins recalled. “People you don’t even know would call him and reach out.
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“The most important thing is the friendships he made there. They lasted his whole life. He talked to a bunch of guys on the phone for years. He loved everything about Philadelphia.”
