The Eagles have announced the death of team legend Billy Ray Barnes at the age of 90
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Billy Ray Barnes, a Philadelphia Eagles legend, died at the age of 90 on Wednesday, the team announced.
The Eagles released a statement Friday night, saying Barnes died in Landis, North Carolina surrounded by family and friends.
“He was 90 years old and lived a wonderful life,” Barnes’ daughter, Billi Barnes Akins, said in an 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 was a key member of the Eagles’ championship team in 1960.
During his career, he earned three Pro Bowl honors in his five seasons with the franchise.
“One of the things he liked about the Eagles in that playoff game, they didn’t give up,” Akins added. “My father has always loved being the underdog, he said it makes him strong, tough, and plays hard.
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“He said the thing that allowed them to win was their team. They were a strong team and believed in each other.”
Barnes was a big part of that championship offense, leading the team in rushing and receiving as a cornerback.
In his five seasons in Philadelphia, Barnes rushed for 2,391 yards with 20 touchdowns, while hauling in 120 receptions for 1,275 yards with eight scores through the air.
A view of a Philadelphia Eagles helmet during a game against the Baltimore Ravens in a preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium on August 09, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (G Fiume/Getty Images)
“The happiest memory there is with the fans,” Barnes said on the 2021 episode of “Where Are They Now?” “I played there for five years, but I stayed there year-round for about eight years. People were nice to me in Philadelphia.”
After his time in Philadelphia, Barnes played two seasons each with the Minnesota Vikings and then the Washington Redskins.
Then after his playing days, Barnes worked as an assistant coach for the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons.
The Eagles brought Barnes and his teammates back to Philadelphia for the 50th anniversary of the 1960 championship during the 2010 campaign.
“He never saw what people thought of these guys as the greatest,” Akins recalled. “People you don’t even know call him and reach out to him.
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“The biggest thing was the friendships he made there. They were lifelong. He talked to a bunch of guys on the phone for years. He enjoyed everything about Philadelphia.”
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