Pete Banaszak, who led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns in 1975 and scored two touchdowns in the Raiders' first Super Bowl win, has died.
Pete Banaszak, who led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns in 1975 and scored two touchdowns in the Raiders' first Super Bowl win, has died. He was 82.
Banaszak ranks second on the Raiders' all-time rushing touchdowns list and eighth in rushing yards.
"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 statement read.
"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.
"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," the statement continued.
"A Wisconsin native, Banaszak was fiercely proud of his Polish heritage. He was inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 1990. The deepest condolences of the entire Raider Nation are with Pete's wife Sue, daughters Rebecca and Amy, grandsons Luke, Austin, and Connor, and all of his loved ones."
Banaszak, a Wisconsin native, ran for 3,772 yards in his career. He added 47 rushing touchdowns and five scores through the air.
Banaszak is one of just eight Raiders players with 3700+ rushing yards. He is one of just three Raiders to surpass 40 rushing touchdowns.
Tributes have begun pouring in on social media for the late Pete Banaszak.
"Very sad news. Pete was truly a great Raider," a fan wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
"One of the best short yardage backs ever," another said of the late NFL star.
An X user wrote: "Truly a great Raider!"
"Oh man. Raiders fan since 1967. Pete was integral in those early years of my fandom and an important character in those glory years. RIP," a Raiders fan replied.
