ALAMEDA, Calif. – DE Frostee Rucker was named the recipient of the fifth-annual Oakland Raiders Craig Long Award, the team announced Thursday.
Chosen by a select group of local media and facilitated by the Oakland Raiders' media relations department, the Craig Long Award is presented annually to the player who best exemplifies professionalism and collaboration with the media at large.
Rucker, who was signed as a free agent by the Raiders in June, has started all 14 games in which he has played for the Silver and Black this season. A 13-year NFL veteran, Rucker has totaled 32 tackles (20 solo) and two passes defensed in his first season in Oakland. Originally drafted by Cincinnati in 2006, Rucker played 12 years with the Bengals, Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals, totaling 142 games played with 73 starts, 21.5 sacks and 265 total tackles. He was named the winner of the Media Good Guy Award by the Arizona chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) in 2017.
Long, who passed away in 2007 at age 36, was a valuable member of the Oakland Raiders' public relations staff from 1997-2004. An Iowa native, Long fulfilled his childhood dream of working in the front office for his favorite team.
Craig Long Award Winners
2018 – DE Frostee Rucker
2017 – RB Jalen Richard
2016 – T Donald Penn
2015 – S Charles Woodson
2014 – DL Antonio Smith
