Hall of Fame center Jim Otto, ‘Mr. Raider,’ dies at 86…

Henderson, Nevada Jim Otto, a famous center wearing the No. 00 jersey that supported the Oakland Raiders’ offensive line for 15 seasons and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, passed away at the age of 86. The Raiders, who relocated to Las Vegas from Oakland in 2020, declared his passing on Sunday night, referring to him as “The Original Raider.” It was not immediately clear what caused the death.

Otto was the dominant center of his era — many would argue of any era — as he had a singular goal: “Never will they kick my butt.”

Indeed, Otto did most of the kicking in a 15-year career that never saw him miss a game. From the AFL’s initial season of 1960 through the 1970 AFL-NFL merger and his retirement following the 1974 season, Otto started 210 straight regular-season games, 223 including the playoffs, and was a Pro Bowler 12 times, a first-team All-Pro selection 10 times.

He was known later in life as “Pops” in the Raiders organization.

“I accept that,” he said in 2014, “and cherish that.”

Many have long suggested Otto’s face should be the eye-patch-wearing logo on the side of the team’s helmet, and Otto did not disagree.

“But with a broken nose,” he joked at the time.

He was the only All-AFL center in the league’s entire existence from 1960 to 1969, and he was one of only three players who played in all 140 AFL regular-season games (George Blanda and Gino Cappelletti were the others)

“Playing football was always a serious proposition for me,” Otto said in 2021. “I wanted to put everyone on their backside and go home smiling, with my wife. So, it was a tough game for me. I had guys like Ray Nitschke. I wanted to get him and put him on his backside. He wanted to do the same to me. We had great times.”

Otto said the hardest hit he ever received in a game came from Nitschke, in 1972.