Billy Ray “Bullet” Barnes, one of the greatest athletes in Wake Forest history and a former NFL standout, has died at the age of 90.
Born in rural North Carolina in 1935 during the Great Depression, Billy Ray Barnes rose from humble beginnings to become a rare two-sport star. He excelled in both football and baseball at Wake Forest University before going on to a nine-season career in the NFL.
By the time Barnes’ playing days ended, his résumé was remarkable. He was selected to three Pro Bowls, helped the Philadelphia Eagles win the 1960 NFL Championship, and later spent eight seasons coaching professional football, seven of them in the NFL. He was also inducted into two Halls of Fame for his achievements as a dual-sport college athlete.
Barnes was remembered as one of the finest athletes ever produced by Wake Forest.
“I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Billy Ray ‘Bullet’ Barnes, who was a close personal friend of mine,” said former Wake Forest athletic director Gene Hooks. “He was a fierce competitor, a proud Demon Deacon, and someone who represented Wake Forest with class. He is the most outstanding athlete who ever wore the Old Gold & Black in both sports.”
In baseball, Barnes was a first-team All-ACC selection in 1956 and 1957 and famously recorded the final out of the 1955 College World Series, securing Wake Forest’s first NCAA championship in any sport — and still the school’s only baseball title.
The Eagles selected Barnes in the second round of the 1957 NFL Draft. He started every game at halfback for four straight seasons and made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three years. He also caught a touchdown pass in the Eagles’ 1960 championship win over the Green Bay Packers — the only playoff game of his career.
After five seasons in Philadelphia, Barnes played two years in Washington before an injury wiped out his 1964 season. He returned briefly to the Eagles, was traded to the Minnesota Vikings, and finished his playing career there in 1966.
Barnes retired with 3,421 rushing yards, 153 receptions, and 39 touchdowns. He immediately transitioned into coaching, later serving as an NFL assistant in New Orleans and Atlanta.
Following his football career, Barnes returned to the construction business before retiring to his hometown of Landis, North Carolina. He was inducted into the Wake Forest University Hall of Fame in 1975 and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1979.