Raiders Legend and Super Bowl Champion Dies at 82

Oct 24, 2026 at 05:37 PM EDT

Pete Banaszak, a former NFL running back who spent his entire career with the Oakland Raiders, has died at 82, the team announced on Saturday.

Banaszak joined the Raiders in 1966 and remained with the team through the 1978 season. He led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 1975 and helped the Raiders win the Super Bowl the following season.

"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 said in a statement. "A key contributor on the Raiders' Super Bowl XI championship team, Banaszak spent his entire 13-year career with Oakland after being selected in the fifth round of the 1966 AFL Draft out of Miami."

The statement continued, "He went on to play 173 regular-season games with the Raiders, playing a central role in the famous 'Holy Roller' play and scoring 16 rushing touchdowns in 1975, a total that remains a single-season franchise record. A Wisconsin native, Banaszak was fiercely proud of his Polish heritage and was inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 1990."

Banaszak played college football at Miami and tallied 1,107 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in three seasons. During his senior season, Banaszak was voted the Hurricanes' most valuable player.

Banaszak was born on May 21, 1944, in Crivitz, Wisconsin. He attended Crivitz High School and competed in football, basketball, and track and field.

Once Banaszak's football career ended, he worked for Crowley Maritime and resided in Jacksonville, Florida, according to the New York Post. During the early 2000s, Banaszak co-hosted The Fifth Quarter, the Jacksonville Jaguars' postgame radio show.