3 hours ago
9
The Las Vegas Raiders are honoring a former player from their days when they took the field in Los Angeles and Oakland, California.
The team released a statement on Monday afternoon announcing the passing of former offensive lineman Rich Stephens at the age of 60.
Stephens, a former ninth-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1989, played all 29 games of his short NFL career with the Raiders.
'The Raiders family is mourning the passing of Rich Stephens, who played in two seasons with the Silver and Black,' the team's statement read.
'Originally drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals out of Tulsa in 1989, the offensive lineman went on to play in 29 career games with two starts, all with the Raiders.
'The thoughts of the entire Raider Nation are with Rich's family at this time.'
The Raiders announced the passing of former offensive lineman Rich Stephens at age 60
Stephens played in 29 games - starting in two of them - across two seasons for his career
According to Football-Reference, Stephens played in 16 games in the 1993 season, starting once.
He then returned in the 1995 season and played in 13 games while also starting once.
The Missouri native stood at 6-foot-7 and weighed 310 pounds.
Stephens and the Raiders made the playoffs in 1993 for the final time in Los Angeles - beating the Denver Broncos in the Wild Card round before losing to the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional round.
1995, Stephens' final season in the NFL, was the first season of the Raiders' second-stint in Oakland. The team went 8-8 and missed out on the playoffs.
The Raiders would stay in Oakland from 1995 until 2020, when they moved to Las Vegas.
