Former Vikings quarterback Bob Berry died Wednesday in California, the team announced. He was 81.
Berry had two stints with the Vikings and played on three Super Bowl teams.
The Eagles drafted Berry in the 11th round in 1964 out of the University of Oregon, and the Broncos took him in the 26th round of the AFL draft that same year. He made his first pro roster in 1965 with the Vikings.
“Bob was just a great person and one of my closest friends as teammates,” former teammate Dave Osborn told the team website. “We came in together in 1965, and only a few of us made the team that year.
“He was a great fit for our team at that time. None of us were heroes; we prided ourselves on being smart players who didn’t make mistakes and played tough. That was Bob, for sure.”
Berry served as Fran Tarkenton’s backup from 1965-66 and again from 1973-76. After backing up Joe Kapp in 1967, Berry went to Atlanta and started seven of 10 games in the third Falcons season.
He took an NFL-high 48 sacks in 1968 before earning Pro Bowl honors in 1969 with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions in leading the Falcons to four wins in his seven starts.
Berry started 50 of the 54 games he played for Atlanta from 1968-72 before the Vikings made a trade for him to return to Minnesota. He appeared in 17 regular-season games for the Vikings from 1973-75.
In his 11-year career, Berry appeared in 78 games with 52 starts, and he passed for 9,197 yards with 64 touchdowns and 64 interceptions. He ran for 409 yards and four touchdowns.
Former Vikings, Falcons quarterback Bob Berry dies at 81 originally appeared on Pro Football Talk