Jim Otto: Raiders, NFL world mourn the loss of football legend

Mike Moraitis

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Jim Otto: Raiders, NFL world mourn the loss of football legend image

The NFL world is in mourning on Monday after news of the passing of Oakland Raiders legend and Hall of Famer, Jim Otto, who died at the age of 86, the team confirmed on Sunday evening.

Otto spent 15 seasons in professional football — all with the Raiders — and never missed a single game. The former center was a nine-time AFL All-Star three-time NFL Pro Bowler and 10-time first-team All-Pro. He was a member of the AFL Championship-winning Raiders in 1967.

"Mr. Raider" was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980 in what was his first year of eligibility. He was ranked No. 76 on Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players and was named to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019.

The Raiders released a statement on his passing on Sunday night:

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 AL 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.

'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.

 Here's a look at the reaction on social media:

Mike Moraitis

Mike Moraitis Photo

After cutting his teeth with Bleacher Report, Mike Moraitis has covered the Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee Titans for FanSided, and the Titans and New York Giants for USA TODAY Sports Media Group. On top of his duties with Sporting News, Mike is the managing editor and lead writer for Titans Wire.