Card: Action Packed Rookies 1992
Acquired: 2015, Future Considerations
See Also: Mike Singletary
Mike Singletary went from being a golden boy in coaching cirlces to a pariah after his tenure as the head coach in San Fransisco. Fired with one game left in the 2010 season, it’s hard to accept sometimes how harsh the mistress of football can be. Mike joined Leslie Frazier’s staff on the Minnesota Vikings in 2011. He’d hold the unique position of Linebackers Coach/ Special Assistant to the Coach.
When the Vikings cleaned house after the 2013 season, Mike was not retained. In the meantime, Mike went on an introspective journey of sorts, shouldering the burden of his shortcomings in San Fransisco. He has spent time travelling to and learning from former coaches, former players, and even trainers, trying to refine his knowledge, preparation, and communication skills. Mike wants to coach again, and at this point, it’s a crime that he hasn’t come closer to coaching opportunities around the league, with only an interview for the Giants in 2016.
My friend Nathan was at the Baylor vs Texas football game in 2015 that I couldn’t attend. He was nice enough to spot me on this autograph I needed for the Action Packed 1992 Rookies set. It was important that I get an in person autograph of Singletary as it has long been rumored that he uses a ghost signer.
Charlie Joiner played an exhaustive 18 seasons in the AFL/NFL. Originally a 4th round pick of the Houston Oilers in 1969, as a defensive back, he made the switch to wide receiver and then started 8 games in 1970. He’d record 28 receptions for 416 yards and 3 TDs, including a 87 yarder. He’d play with the Oilers through 6 games of the 1972 season but was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Joiner spent the next 3 seasons there where he started coming into his own during the 1975 season. He’d pull down 37 receptions for 726 yards and 5 TDs. The Bengals then traded him to the Chargers, where Charlie became the perfect fit for Air Coryell’s West Coast Offense catching passes from young Dan Fouts. In the midst of the ‘Dead Ball Era’, Charlie had 50 receptions for 1056 yards and 7 TDs -earning his first Pro Bowl nomination. He’d return to form in 1979 with a career high 72 receptions and 1008 yards with his second Pro Bowl berth. The following year in 1980, Charlie earned his final Pro Bowl trip, and his first and only All-Pro Honor with 70 receptions for 1132 yards and 7 TDs. While he’d log a career high 1,188 yards in 1981, he did not earn any additional honors for the remainder of his career. Joiner personified longevity in a league meant to break people. He continued to play for the Chargers until his retirement after the 1986 season. His 239 games played as a wide receiver, receptions, and yards, were NFL records at the time of his retirement.
Raymond Berry was a long shot to make the Colts. Back in 1954 when Ray was drafted, the NFL draft itself went 30 rounds deep. When he was taken in the 20th round out of SMU, teams probably recognized his heart for the game more than his uncanny route running skills and soft hands. His rookie season was typical of many of that era with 13 receptions for 205 yards in 1955, as he began to build a rapport with future HoF Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas. Berry quickly established himself as a starter that next year, and in 1957 led the league with 800 yards receiving. He’d lead the NFL the next 3 seasons in catches with 56, 66, and 74 receptions- respectively. In 1959, Berry had a career high 14 TD receptions, and followed that up with career marks in receiving yards 1,298 in 1960, averaging an astounding 108.2 yards per game. In 1961, Ray had a career high 75 receptions en route to his 4th of 6th career Pro Bowl honors.
Although Ray never quite saw the same titanic numbers that he enjoyed the remainder of his career, he continued to post healthy numbers up through his final year in 1967. Over a span of 13 years in the league, Berry averaged below 50 yards a game in only 3 seasons. Whether it was the skill of the quarterback or a combination of Ray’s precise route running and soft hands- Berry only dropped 2 passes, and fumbled once, in 631 targets over his career. At the time of Ray’s retirement, he was the NFL’s greatest receiver as his receptions and yardage ranked first in NFL history. He also holds the record for the most receptions in an NFL championship game with 12 in 1958.
Ray stayed in football and went into coaching, eventually joining the New England Patriots staff as a positional coach during the late ’70s. He’d leave after the firing of then head coach Chuck Fairbanks, but return in 1984 replacing Ron Meyer as head coach, immediately reversing the fortunes of the team. It was said that just Berry’s presence changed the attitude of the team, and they responded with an improbable Super Bowl run in 1985, marking only the second team to make it to the Super Bowl from a Wild Card slot. The only problem was that the Patriots ran into the historic Chicago Bears defense. The Patriots got buzzsawed 46-10. They’d get to the playoffs again in 1986, but not return to the post season after that. An in-house squabble over personnel matters resulted in Berry resigning after the 1989 season.
Berry went to coach QBs with the Lions, and then later the Denver Broncos in 1992. He’d be released with the entirety of the Dan Reeves staff and effectively retire from coaching.
He was then a spokesman for a national insurance corporation for a bit in Tennessee after that.
What Berry is not known for is being a visionary. Considered one of the finest ever students of the game, Berry recognized a need to teach a generation about how to play wide receiver. He was able to get the archives of many of his game films at the time, and cobbled them together into an instructional video -An incredible rarity from that era. A few lucky fans over the years have been able to get a copy of it that has now gone as far as DVD from what I’ve been told.
Raymond earned many accolades post retirement. He is the 40th Greatest Player in NFL history and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1973. A member of both the 50th and 75th Anniversiary NFL teams, Berry had his number retired at the time, by the then Baltimore Colts.
ACCOLADES:
Pro Bowl 1958-’61, ’63, ’64
All Pro 1958-’60, (2nd Team) 1957, ’61, ’65
Pro Football Hall of Fame
NFL 1950s All-Decade Team
#82 Retired (Baltimore Colts)
#87 Retired (SMU)
NFL 50th Anniversary Team
NFL 75th Anniversary Team
NFL 100th Anniversary Team
Baltimore Ravens Ring of Honor
Patriots All-Decade Team 1980s
NOTES:
Raymond Berry was the first person I sent out for in 2014. I had hoped he would be the first success, because of his impecable return rate. Well, 390 days and 67 returns later, I finally got the Hall of Famer on these cards- and I must say it was completely worth the wait. I’m sure that I was on the bottom of the mail bag that he was going through, as others were cashing in those successes earlier than I was. It was extremely touching because not only did he throw in a testimonial card and a signed photo, he also wrote me an incredibly kind one page letter, thanking me for the additional custom card I gave him, and telling me how much he appreciates fans like myself. His response is probably one of my favorite ever from an NFLer, little less a Hall of Famer!
Ray was a voracious TTM signer, but by 2016 things began to slow down due to age and illness. In 2018 his family began notifying fans that he no longer would be signing TTM, with him ultimately closing the door on it by 2020. A truly Hall of Fame signer, he signed thousands of requests through the mail.
EPITAPH:
6/1/26- Raymond Berry passed away peacefully surrounded by his friends and family at his home in Tennessee. He was 93.
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
631
9275
14.7
68
70
W
L
T
PCT
48
39
0
.552
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
Card: Action Packed Rookies 1992
