Royce Berry
{{Short description|American football player (born 1946)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
|name=Royce Berry
|image=Royce Berry 1969.jpg
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1946|04|19}}
|birth_place=Odessa, Texas, U.S.
|death_date=
|position=Defensive end
|college=Houston
|draftyear=1969
|draftround=7
|draftpick=161
|teams=*Cincinnati Bengals (1969–1974)
}}
Royce Elmer Berry (born April 19, 1946) is an American former defensive end in the American Football League (AFL) in 1969 and in the National Football League (NFL) from 1970 to 1976.
Early life
Berry grew up in Odessa, Texas, and played football at Permian High School.{{cite web|url=http://www.e-yearbook.com/yearbooks/Permian_High_School_Panther_Yearbook/1964/Page_214.html |title=Permian High School - Panther Yearbook (Odessa, TX), Class of 1964, Page 214 |website=E-yearbook.com |date= |accessdate=2016-09-18}} He was also on the 1964 basketball team, the first in program history to win the district championship, as well as the baseball team.{{cite web|url=http://www.mojobaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57:hist63&catid=44:catpastrost&Itemid=98 |title=The Permian Baseball Annual - 1963 |website=Mojobaseball.com |date= |accessdate=2016-09-18}}{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.oaoa.com/oavarsity/boys/article_fe62f8b8-8320-11e3-b8ba-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=image&photo=1 |title=BOYS BASKETBALL: Thomas feeds Panthers, then feeds himself in win against Bronchos - Odessa American: Boys |website=Oaoa.com |date= |accessdate=2016-09-18}}
Berry played college football for the Houston in 1965, 1966 and in 1968. He missed the 1967 season due to injury.{{cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1080283/2/index.htm |title=When Bill Yeoman rings, smart guys hang up quick - 09.11.67 - SI Vault |accessdate=2014-01-29 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203131943/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1080283/2/index.htm |archivedate=2014-02-03 }}{{cite web|author= |url=http://cougarcards.blogspot.com/2010/08/1970-topps-86-royce-berry.html |title=Cougar Cards: 1970 Topps #86 Royce Berry |website=Cougarcards.blogspot.com |date=2010-08-18 |accessdate=2016-09-18}}
NFL career
He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round (161st overall) of the 1969 AFL/NFL Common Draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BerrRo20.htm |title=Royce Berry NFL & AFL Football Statistics |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |date= |accessdate=2016-09-18}} In his sophomore season of 1970, he started all 14 games as a defensive end, most notably the first-ever Bengals-Cleveland Browns matchup in which Berry scooped up a fumble and returned it 58 yards for a touchdown.{{cite web|url=http://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/index.ssf/2013/10/cleveland_browns_defeat_cincin.html |title=Cleveland Browns defeat Cincinnati Bengals and Paul Brown in first meeting: This Day in Browns History |website=Cleveland.com |date= 12 October 2013|accessdate=2016-09-18}}
He missed only one start between 1970 and 1973 at left defensive end as part of a formidable line along with Mike Reid, Steve Chomyszak and Ron Carpenter.{{cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/Royce_Berry/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/ |title=Royce Berry - SI Vault |accessdate=2014-01-29 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203131946/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/Royce_Berry/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/ |archivedate=2014-02-03 }}
In 1974, he played in 13 games, starting one. He was on injured reserve with a broken wrist and did not see action for the Bengals in 1975.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/36794328/ |title=The Charleston Daily Mail from Charleston, West Virginia · Page 23 |website=Newspapers.com |date=1975-09-03 |accessdate=2016-09-18}} Berry served as defensive captain for six seasons.{{Cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=266&dat=19760512&id=LbU0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=y2gFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4068,4481442 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-06-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504162622/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=266&dat=19760512&id=LbU0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=y2gFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4068,4481442 |archive-date=2016-05-04 |url-status=dead }}
In May, 1976, Berry was traded to the Chicago Bears. Berry returned for one more NFL season, his eighth, in 1976 with the Chicago Bears, for whom he played in 12 games, starting two.{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BerrRo20.htm |title=Royce Berry NFL & AFL Football Statistics |publisher=Pro-Football-Reference.com |date= |accessdate=2016-09-18}} He was waived by the Bears just prior to the 1977 season.{{Cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19770906&id=EvVLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1e0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6810,2106142 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-06-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506171335/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19770906&id=EvVLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1e0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6810,2106142 |archive-date=2016-05-06 |url-status=dead }}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Bengals1969DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berry, Royce}}
Category:Cincinnati Bengals players
Category:Chicago Bears players
Category:Houston Cougars football players