Raiders mourn passing of franchise legend Jim Otto

Jim Otto was one of the greatest centers in NFL history for the Raiders

Otto was with the Raiders from the start, as he was selected by them in the 1960 AFL Draft, which was their first year of existence. Otto was immediately one of the top offensive linemen in the league, as he earned first-team All-Pro honors as a rookie, although he was curiously snubbed when it came to the Pro Bowl.

This would only be the start of things for Otto, as he would finish his career with 12 Pro Bowl berths and 10 first-team All-Pro honors (in addition to a pair of second-team All-Pro honors, too.) Add in an AFL championship, which he earned with the Raiders in 1967, and Otto put together one of the most complete careers of any offensive lineman in the history of the sport.

Once the Raiders migrated to the NFL, Otto made a couple of runs for a Super Bowl, but he ultimately was unable to add one of those to his sparkling resume. Still, he remained one of the top centers in the game up until his retirement after the 1974 season, although his play did tail off from his notoriously high standard over his final two seasons.

Otto started 210 consecutive games during his career, and he picked up quite a few injuries along the way. The result was more than 70 surgeries throughout his life, and the amputation of his right leg back in 2007. There’s no doubt Otto was one tough cookie, but the beating he took in football eventually came back to bite him.

No cause of death was given for Otto’s passing, but one way or another, fans are going to mourn his death for the next few days. Otto’s legacy as one of the greatest football players of all-time had long been secured before he retired, and fans aren’t going to forget about his contributions to the game and the Raiders franchise for quite awhile, even though it’s been 50 years since he last took the field.