Who was Gary Barnes? Clemson Hall of Fame football player dies at 83

Football icon Gary Barnes played American football as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) from 1962 to 1967.

Barnes passed away in Clemson, on August 15, 2023, after suffering from Parkinson’s disease. He was aged 83.

He was born on September 13, 1939, in Alabama, United States, and played college football for the Clemson Tigers.

Barnes was drafted by the Green Bay Packers as 41st overall pick in the third round of the 1962 NFL Draft.

Barnes additionally played for the Dallas Cowboys, the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Atlanta Falcons. He had appeared in a total of 60 games, and recorded 41 receptions for 583 yards and 2 touchdowns during his career.

When he played with the Atlanta Falcons, he scored the first touchdown in the team’s history.

Upon retirement, Barnes worked in Chevron Corporation as an investment adviser, and opened a textile business by the side.

In 1986, Barnes was named Clemson’s first full-time municipal judge. He worked in that capacity for three decades until 2015.

Barnes was inducted into the Clemson University Athletic Hall of Fame and the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002 and 2005 respectively.