Former Alabama coach and player, Ray Perkins, dies at 79

Ray Perkins played wide receiver for the Alabama Crimson Tide from 1964-1966. During his time in Tuscaloosa, Perkins helped lead

Ray Perkins played wide receiver for the Alabama Crimson Tide from 1964-1966. During his time in Tuscaloosa, Perkins helped lead Alabama to two national championships and was named an All-American in 1966.

Perkins passed away on Wednesday morning in Tuscaloosa, according to Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News. He was 79 years old.

While Perkins was a star for the Crimson Tide in the 1960s, he is perhaps best known for his coaching career.

FILE – In this Dec. 5, 1966, file photo, Alabama football players hoist coach Paul “Bear” Bryant to their shoulders after the Crimson Tide finished an unbeaten, untied season with a 31-0 triumph over Auburn in Birmingham, Ala. Identifiable players are, from left, John Mosley, Ray Perkins, Jerry Duncan and Wayne Trimble. Despite Alabama’s success in the 1960s, the Tide was only voted No. 1 nine times. (AP Photo/Charles Kelly, File)

After a five-year NFL career with the Baltimore Colts, where Perkins won a Super Bowl, he began his long coaching career as an assistant at Mississippi State.

Perkins would return to the NFL in 1974 as a receivers coach with the New England Patriots for four seasons before taking over as offensive coordinator with the San Diego Chargers in 1978.

Perkins would get his first shot as a head coach with the New York Giants from 1979-1982.

He returned to his alma mater as head coach from 1983-1986, replacing the legendary Bear Bryant. Perkins finished with a 32-15-1 record with the Crimson Tide during his four seasons in charge.

It was during his four years as head coach of the Crimson Tide where he coached some of the best players in school history, including Derrick Thomas and Cornelius Bennett.

In 1987, he accepted the job as head coach of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he spent the next four years.

His last major head-coaching job was in 1992 with Arkansas State.

Perkins returned to the New England Patriots as offensive coordinator from 1993-1996, under Bill Parcells, where he mentored No. 1 overall pick, Drew Bledsoe.

NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 23: New England Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe (L) talks with offensive coordinator Ray Perkins during their team workout 23 January at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Patriots will play the Green Bay Packers 26 January in Super Bowl XXXI in the Louisiana Superdome. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) (Photo credit should read R. EMMETT SULLIVAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Perkins spent two stints with the Cleveland Browns as an assistant coach and spent one year with the Oakland Raiders in the late 1990s and 2000.

He returned to coaching in 2012 as head coach of Jones County Junior College in Mississippi, where he coached for two years. His final season in coaching was spent as a volunteer coach at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Perkins also served as Alabama’s athletic director for a time and was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.

Perkins lived in Tuscaloosa after his retirement.