Super Bowl-winning Raiders legend Pete Banaszak dies at 82, Silver and Black family mourns
Pete Banaszak, the former Oakland Raiders running back who helped the franchise win its first Super Bowl, has died at the age of 82, the team announced on Saturday. A 13-year veteran of the Silver and Black, Banaszak was one of the heroes of the Raiders' first championship triumph.
In a statement, the team said: "The Raiders Family mourns the passing of Pete Banaszak, whose toughness, competitive spirit, and dedication embodied a legendary era of Raiders football and made him a cherished member of the Silver and Black." The franchise also extended its condolences to his family.
A Wisconsin native, Banaszak was fiercely proud of his Polish heritage. In recognition of that pride and his sporting career, he was inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.
The Raiders said their deepest condolences were with Banaszak's wife Sue, his daughters Rebecca and Amy, and his grandsons Luke, Austin and Connor. News of his death cast a shadow of grief over fans and former teammates alike.
On the field, Banaszak was primarily a reserve. He started just 36 of the 173 NFL games he played. Even so, he made the most of his opportunities and etched his name into Raiders history across his 13 seasons with the franchise.
Banaszak made his final appearance for the Raiders in 1978. His best season came in 1975, his tenth year with the franchise, when he rushed for a league-high 16 touchdowns and a career-best 672 yards. Those 16 rushing touchdowns remain a Raiders single-season record to this day.
He also shone on the Super Bowl stage. Banaszak crossed the goal line twice in the Raiders' Super Bowl XI victory over the Minnesota Vikings — the win that brought the franchise the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the first time.
Yet Banaszak's name is most often recalled for one of the NFL's most famous plays, the "Holy Roller." In Week 2 of what would be his final season, the Raiders trailed the Chargers 20-14 with only seconds remaining.
At that moment, quarterback Ken Stabler fumbled while seemingly being sacked. Banaszak recovered the ball and batted it forward, giving tight end Dave Casper the chance to recover it in the end zone. The extra point then secured Oakland's improbable 21-20 victory.
Across his career, Banaszak finished with 3,772 rushing yards, 1,022 receiving yards and 52 touchdowns. He is also credited with six touchdowns in the playoffs, underlining his reliability on the biggest stage.
Banaszak will be remembered as one of the emblematic players of the Raiders' Silver and Black era. His career showed how a player in a supporting role could still become part of football history.
The team's statement described him as a representative of a legendary era of Raiders football. His passing at 82 brings another chapter of that era to a close.
