Walter Ray Perkins (November 6, 1941 – December 9, 2020) was an American football coach and player. He played as a wide receiver for the University of Alabama and Baltimore Colts. He later worked as a football coach for 28 years, including stints as the head coach for the New York Giants, the University of Alabama, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Arkansas State University. Early life and college career Perkins was born in Petal, Mississippi. He attended The University of Alabama, playing football 1964–1966. He played for coach Bear Bryant and was a teammate of Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterbacks Joe Namath and Ken Stabler. The Crimson Tide won national championships in both 1964 and 1965, and Southeastern Conference championships in 1964, 1965, and 1966. During his senior year, he was named team captain. He was also selected as an All-American in 1966. 1964: 11 catches for 139 yards and 1 touchdown. 1965: 19 catches for 279 yards and 1 touchdown. 1966: 33 catches for 490 yards and 7 touchdowns. NFL career He played for the National Football League's Baltimore Colts as a wide receiver from 1967 to 1971, initially under coach Don Shula. Perkins caught a 68-yard touchdown pass from Johnny Unitas in the 1970 AFC Championship Game to lead the Colts to a 27–17 victory over the Oakland Raiders and a berth in Super Bowl V. Perkins went on to win a Super Bowl ring after the Colts beat the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V. Coaching career Perkins coached in the NFL as an assistant for the New England Patriots (1974–1977) and San Diego Chargers (1978) before becoming head coach of the New York Giants from 1979 to 1982. Although he only had one winning season, he helped build the team that his successor, Bill Parcells, won two Super Bowls with in 1986 and 1990. Perkins hired future NFL head coaches Parcells, Bill Belichick and Romeo Crennel as young assistants, and was the first NFL coach for future Most Valuable Player and Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor and future Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Phil Simms. When Bryant retired after the 1982 season, Perkins took on the daunting task of succeeding him at Alabama. He coached the Crimson Tide for four years from 1983 to 1986, compiling a record of 32–15–1. However, he went 5–6 in 1984, the school's first losing season since 1957, the year