Raiders Mourn Passing of Offensive Lineman Rich Stephens

The Las Vegas Raiders are remembering a former player who made an impact during their days in Los Angeles and Oakland. Offensive lineman Rich Stephens has passed away, prompting an outpouring of grief from the Raiders’ organization and fans.

Remembering a Raider

The Raiders organization announced the death of Rich Stephens, who played for the team. He was 60 years old. Stephens was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1989 before joining the Raiders.

The team released a statement expressing their sorrow: “The Raiders family is mourning the passing of Rich Stephens, who played in two seasons with the Silver and Black.” It continued, “The thoughts of the entire Raider Nation are with Rich’s family at this time.”

Stephens played a total of 29 games for the Raiders across two seasons. He started two games during his career. The Missouri native stood at 6-foot-7 and weighed 310 pounds.

Career Highlights

In the 1993 season, Stephens played 16 games, starting once. He returned in 1995, playing in 13 games with one start. During his time with the Raiders, the team made the playoffs in 1993 before losing to the Buffalo Bills.

Stephens’s final season in the NFL was 1995. The team stayed in Oakland from 1995 until 2020 before relocating to Las Vegas. The Raiders’ legacy includes three Super Bowl victories.

NFL players, on average, have a career length of just over three years (Statista, 2023).