The Oakland Raiders are one of the more historic franchises in the NFL, with a history that includes many Hall-of-Famers and three NFL championships. Whether in the Al Davis or Mark Davis era, the Raiders have boasted a rich history and thrilling environment for fans everywhere.
Unfortunately, as these seasons pass on, some of the former players are not able to witness the return to greatness. On Monday, the organization was saddened by the announcement that former offensive lineman Mickey Marvin and scout George Karras have passed away, via Raiders.com:
“The Raiders family is deeply saddened by the losses of Mickey Marvin and George Karras,” said Raiders Owner Mark Davis. “Mickey and George were Raiders in every sense of the word and they each leave a strong legacy with the organization and throughout the NFL. Our sincerest thoughts and prayers are with the families of both Mickey and George.”
Marvin resided as one of the true legends in the organization, a pivotal piece on Super Bowl teams. The 11-year NFL veteran was born on October 5, 1955 in Hendersonville, North Carolina. After playing football at the University of Tennessee, he was drafted by the Raiders in the fourth round of the 1977 NFL Draft.
He spent his entire NFL career with the organization, five seasons in Oakland and six with Los Angeles. No. 65 shined at his right guard position, protecting various quarterbacks and Hall-of-Famer Marcus Allen over the course of 120 career games played.
Marvin was on both the 1980-81 and 1983-84 teams that won the Super Bowl, the last championship to grace the organization. The veteran succumbed to his battle with A.L.S., which started in 2015. When Marvin won done with his NFL playing career, he joined the Raiders scouting department for 29 seasons.
Karras was born in 1928, living to reach his 88th year of life before passing away. During his uprising, he had taken coaching with four collegiate teams, before joining the NFL.
He also had a front office role with the organization, as a part of the player personnel staff. He resided in that position from 1987 to 1997, after a distinguished career as a college coach and scout for the Denver Broncos.
After a hiatus from the NFL, he returned to the Raiders in recent years, as a consultant evaluating college prospects during the entire NFL Draft process. Raiders 411 would like to send our condolences over to the Marvin and Karras families in this difficult time.
