Oakland Raiders: The Franchise’s All Time Starting Team

Aug 7, 2015; Canton, OH, USA; Ron Wolf (left) and Jim Otto at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Center – Jim Otto

Initially, because he was considered to be an undersized prospect, no NFL club showed interest in Otto in1960. He wound up being drafted by the AFL’s proposed Minneapolis franchise. But Minneapolis opted to not accept a franchise and Otto’s rights reverted to the Raiders.

Otto went on to play fifteen seasons for the Raiders – ten during the AFL years and another five after the merger. Otto was tough, fierce, and most importantly, durable. Over the course of his entire career – all fifteen seasons of it – Otto did not miss a single game due to injury.

He was named an AFL All Star nine times, and was named to the Pro Bowl another three times. He was a ten time AFL All Pro and after the merger, was named first team All Pro another three times. He was also named to the AFL’s All Time Team, and in 1980, he capped off his illustrious career with his induction into the Hall of Fame.

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