Former Alabama, NFL Coach Ray Perkins Dies at Age 79

Ray Perkins, a longtime coach in the NFL and at the University of Alabama, died Wednesday at the age of 79. 

Perkins' family told Charles Hollis of AL.com he died at his home in Northport, Alabama, after "dealing with heart issues for the past couple of years."

Before moving into the coaching ranks, Perkins played football at Alabama from 1964 to 1966 under head coach Paul Bryant. He was part of two national championship teams in his first two years with the program. 

The Baltimore Colts selected Perkins in the seventh round of the 1966 NFL draft. He played five seasons with the team and was part of the Super Bowl V victory over the Dallas Cowboys at the end of 1970 season. The Alabama native set career highs with 424 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 1971. 

Perkins moved into the coaching ranks after his playing career, starting as an assistant at Mississippi State in 1973. He returned to Alabama as head coach from 1983 to 1986, compiling a 32-15-1 record with three bowl wins in four seasons. 

Perkins was also an assistant coach in the NFL with the New England Patriots (1974-77, 1993-96), San Diego Chargers (1978), Oakland Raiders (1997) and Cleveland Browns (1999-2000) and head coach for the New York Giants (1979-82) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987-90).