The family of Hall of Fame center Jim Otto, who passed away on May 19, 2024, will light the Al Davis Memorial Torch prior to kickoff of Saturday's Las Vegas Raiders-Dallas Cowboys preseason game.
Coined "The Original Raider," Otto was with the team since its American Football League inception in 1960. He never missed a game over 15 seasons as an Oakland Raider, starting a remarkable 210 consecutive league games, the most in Raiders history. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980, his first year of eligibility.
With Otto under center, the Raiders won seven divisional titles, an AFL Championship and earned their first Super Bowl berth following the 1967 season.
Otto's wife, Sally, and their grandchildren will share in lighting the torch in tribute to both Jim and Al Davis.
This season, the Raiders are also honoring Otto with a helmet decal featuring his famed "00" jersey number.
The Otto Family is the latest of a distinguished list that have been bestowed the honor, beginning with the late John Madden, who was the first to light the torch on October 18, 2011. The First Lady of Raider Nation, Mrs. Carol Davis, was the first to light the Al Davis Memorial Torch honoring her late husband in Las Vegas prior to the Raiders' inaugural contest at Allegiant Stadium on September 21, 2020.
Since the tradition began in 2011 in Oakland, many Raiders Alumni, celebrities and fans have had the privilege to light the Torch before each home game. The Al Davis Memorial Torch is a tribute to Mr. Davis' legacy as the Raiders' longtime owner, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, AFL Coach of the Year, AFL Commissioner, and the architect of the Raiders' Commitment to Excellence in recognition of Mr. Davis' enduring vision that "the fire that burns the brightest in the Raiders' organization is the will to win."
