Las Vegas Raiders helmet shown on field.
Las Vegas Raiders helmet (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Las Vegas Raiders legend and Pro Football Hall of Fame center Jim Otto has passed away at the age of 86, the team announced on Sunday night.Late in the evening, the Las Vegas Raiders announced on X/Twitter that Otto, known as “Mr. Raider” passed away

Sunday at the age of 86. He is survived by his wife Sally, son Jim Jr. and 14 grandchildren. No cause of death was given.

A star out of Miami, Otto spent his entire 15-year career with the Oakland Raiders which spanned from 1960 to 1974. He led the Raiders to an AFL Championship in the 1967 season, setting up a showdown with the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl II, the organization’s first showdown in the big game.

Arguably the greatest center of ever, Otto was a nine-time First-team All-AFL selection, a nine-time AFL All-Star and a three-time Pro Bowler. He was named to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019, one of four centers to make the team alongside Dwight Stephenson, Mike Webster and Mel Hein.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Otto’s family and friends during this difficult time.

Jim Otto Is On The Mount Rushmore Of Las Vegas Raiders Players

The Las Vegas Raiders have had many all-time great players throughout their 64-year history, but you cannot discuss the best of the very best without mentioning Jim Otto.

The Raiders emerged as a juggernaut in the Super Bowl era, well before the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. Though Otto retired after the 1974 season, it was his toughness, leadership and work ethic that set the golden standard in Raiders land.

Oakland became one of the NFL’s top teams in the 1970s, winning it all for the first time in the 1976 season under legendary head coach John Madden. They would achieve dynasty status by winning it all again in the 1980 and ’83 seasons.

If it weren’t for Otto’s 15 years of greatness, the Raiders would not have built the championship foundation that carried over into the ’70s and ’80s decade. Otto was a model person on and off the field, and there was nobody more deserving of the “Mr. Raider” nickname.

VIDEO: NFL Network’s Kimmi Chex Delivered Powerful Message To Chiefs Kicker Harrison Butker Before Signing Off Of “Total Access” Forever

Kimmi Chex looking on at NFL Network (left). Harrison Butker reacts to kick (right).

Kimmi Chex (left) and Harrison Butker (right). (Photos via @awfulannouncing Twitter and Harry How/Getty Images)NFL Network host Kimmi Chex delivered a powerful message to Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison on the final episode of “Total Access” before the crew signed off the beloved NFL Network program.Last Saturday, Harrison Butker made headlines when he made homophobic, antisemitic, sexist and misogynistic comments during his commencement speech to graduating students at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas.

At one point during the speech, Butker suggested to the graduating female students that they become “homemakers.” His comments caused plenty of public outrage, and there’s an online petition with over 200,000 signatures for the Chiefs to release him.

Before “Total Access” signed off for the final time, Chex shared a powerful and inspiring message for women with Mike Yam, Michael Robinson and David Carr by her side:

“My presence on this show comes on the shoulder of the women and the hosts who came before me…I’m lucky enough to continue on here with the NFL Network and hope to give more of my voice to the league I love, while also being a wife and soon-to-be mother of two kids. Don’t ever, ever put women in a box because our potential is limitless and we can do it all.”

 

“Total Access” aired on NFL Network for 21 years, beginning in 2003. Earlier this month, the network announced that it was canceling the show, with the final episode airing on Friday.

Harrison Butker has not addressed the public backlash, and the Kansas City Chiefs have been quiet on the matter. Jonathan Beane, the NFL Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, told People in a statement that Butker’s “views are not those of the NFL as an organization.”

Though he was drafted by the Carolina Panthers back in 2017, Butker has spent his entire career with the Chiefs. The soon-to-be 29-year-old made 94.3 percent of field goal attempts last season, a career-best, and he didn’t miss a single extra point.

Butker has won three Super Bowls with the Chiefs. He has a career field goal percentage of 89.1 and 94.5 success rate on extra points.

Harrison Butker’s Job Appears Safe With Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs may be facing plenty of calls to release Butker following his controversial comments, but it doesn’t look like they plan to do anything about the matter.

It’s been more than a week since he made those comments. If they didn’t even wish to put out a statement on the matter, it’s hard to envision them outright releasing him at this point.