Within the organization, the Las Vegas Raiders have a proverb that reads, “Once a Raider, always a Raider.” That adage applies to everyone, but it has even greater meaning when we consider the lasting influence of athletes like Jim Otto.
However, it particularly pertains to players—guys who are standup individuals and players—who have enjoyed significant success with the team. On and off the field, you have to live up to the Raider brand.
That was how the Raiders of old were, and some of the new Raiders are, too. However, the elder Raiders are the ones who exhibit it the most. Jim Otto, the center, was one player who demonstrated that the most.
We received the tragic news on Sunday that Otto, who was 86, had died. Our thoughts are naturally with his family.
Otto was “the original Raider,” having played for the top teams in the 1960s and 1970s. He was one of the greatest centers to ever play the position, earning 12 All-Pro seasons, and he participated in every game throughout the AFL era.
One of the most significant periods in Oakland Raiders history to date, Double Zero, as they called him, will always be remembered.
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