The Las Vegas Raiders released a statement on the death of one of the franchise’s legends. NFL fans took to social media to remember the former Oakland Raiders player who died recently.
Oakland Raiders legend Jim Otto died
As previously discussed on GH, Jim Otto died at 86:
Otto, who is an 9 x All AFL (the pre-cursor to the ‘All-Pro’ teams post AFL-NFL merger) and 9 x AFL All Star (the pre-merger ‘Pro Bowl’) center, is probably not a household name from the past for the majority of contemporary football fans.
However, for those who study the history of the game, Otto is without question one of the greats at his position. Not only is he one of only 2 1st ballot Hall of Fame centers, along with the Miami Dolphins’ Jim Langer, but played 15 consecutive seasons for the Las Vegas Raiders, a total of 210 straight games – ranking as the 10th longest streak all time.
The Las Vegas Raiders issued a statement
The Raiders posted a tribute on their X account following news of Otto’s death:
The Raiders Family is in deep mourning following the passing of Jim Otto.. The Original Raider. The personification of consistency, Jim’s influence on the American Football League and professional football as a whole cannot be overstated.
His leadership and tenacity were a hallmark of the dominant Raider teams of the 1960s and 70s, and his ferocious work ethic and talent enabled him to start a remarkable 210 consecutive league games for the Oakland Raiders.
Considered undersized when coming out of the University of Miami, Jim handled the first snap in franchise history and went on to be selected as the AFL’s All-Star center for the entirety of the league’s existence.
One of only 20 players to play in every season of the American Football League, he was named the starting center on the AFL All-Time Team and was selected to the NFL’s 100th Anniversary Team in 2019. Jim was known to many as “Mr. Raider,” and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980, his first year of
eligibility.
The Raiders praised Otto for being great on the field and off:
“00” was the foundational piece of a transcendent offensive line that not only propelled the Raiders to success on the field but resonated with fans and helped build the Raiders persona and mystique.
Beyond the gridiron, Jim was a successful businessman and remained an important part of the Raiders organization, serving as a team executive and providing a perpetual presence at games and events.
Jim was a man whose words and actions epitomized the motto “Commitment to Excellence.”
The sincerest prayers of the entire Raider Nation are with his wife Sally, his son Jim Jr. and wife Leah, and his 14 grandchildren – Alice, Sarah, Amy, Amanda, Josiah, Hannah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Jennifer, Avery, Noah,
Aiden, Roman and Ellie.
NFL fans remember Jim Otto
Here are some of the best takes of fans remember Otto.
