Former San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame fullback Joe Perry dies due to dementia – NFL news
Joe “The Jet” Perry, Hall of Fame fullback for San Francisco 49ers, passed away on Monday April 25, 2011 due to complications from dementia in Arizona.
He was born January 22, 1927 in Stephens, Arkansas.
Niners’ owner John York released the following statement after Perry’s death, “I was deeply saddened to hear of Joe Perry's passing. He was a dear friend to my family and I and to the entire 49ers organization. He was also an integral part of our rich history.
A truly remarkable man both on and off the field, Joe had a lasting impact on the game of football and was an inspirational man to the generations of players that followed him. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to his wife, Donna, and his entire family. He will
be sadly missed by all of us.”
In his 16 years in the National Football League, Perry played for the Niners from 1948 to 1960 and then retired with them in 1963. He spent two seasons with the Baltimore Colts, now known as the Indianapolis Colts, in 1961 and 1962.
Perry went undrafted in the 1948 NFL Draft after he served in the United States Navy during World War II and then graduated from Compton Junior College, where he and fellow future Pro Football Hall of Famer Hugh McElhenny led Compton CC to two national championships
in a row. Perry was not named “The Jet” because he was elusive or a powerful fullback but because he was very fast, recording a 100 yard dash in only 9.7 seconds.
When Perry retired, he had the most career rushing yards in the NFL history, breaking the record previously held by Steve Van Buren. He was also the first runner in the League to have two consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 rushing yards. Before being
inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969, Perry was also the host of “Both Sides of the Record,” a popular sports and music radio show.
During his career in the NFL, “The Jet” was selected to the Pro Bowl in three consecutive seasons, in 1952, 1953 and 1954. He was also included in the NFL 1950s All-Decade Team and was named NFL Most Valuable Player in 1954.
In his 181 career games, Perry had 1,929 carries for 9,723 rushing yards and 71 touchdowns. He also had 260 receptions for 2,021 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. He surpassed Van Buren’s rushing record by 3,863 yards, which was later broken by Jim Brown.
The Niners retired Perry’s number 34 jersey in 1971.
Perry made up “The Million Dollar Backfield” with McElhenny, John Henry Johnson and Y.A. Tittle, the only full-house backfield that has all of its members in the Hall of Fame.
Details of funeral services for Perry have not been released. As York said, “He will be sadly missed by all of us.”
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