Legendary Raiders RB Pete Banaszak Dead At 82

KANSAS CITY, MO – DECEMBER 12: A view of Las Vegas Raiders helmets before an NFL game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs on Dec 12, 2021 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Getty

Legendary Raiders RB Pete Banaszak Dead At 82

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Oct 24, 2026 4:51 PM ET

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The Las Vegas Raiders lost a legend this week as former running Pete Banaszak passed away. He was 82 years old.

Banaszak was a fifth-round pick out of the University of Miami in the 1966 AFL Draft and went on to play 173 games in 13 years for the Raiders. In 1975, Banaszak led the league with 16 rushing touchdowns, a mark that is still the team’s all-time single season record more than 50 years later. Those 173 games played are also the most by any running back in Raiders history and the fifth-most by any Raider ever.

“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 Raiders said in a statement. “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.”

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— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) October 24, 2026

The ‘Holy Roller’

While Banaszak may not be a household name, he has one of the all-time great plays in NFL history: The Holy Roller from the 1978 Raiders-Chargers game.

In one of the most memorable moments in NFL regular season history, Raiders QB Ken Stabler fumbled the ball forward near the Chargers’ goalline on the final play of the game. Banaszak infamously swatted the ball forward, where his teammate Dave Casper recovered it for a touchdown.

The NFL rules at the time stated that if a player intentionally fumbled a ball forward that it would be a forward pass. At the time, game officials ruled that because they couldn’t determine intent from Banaszak, that they had to uphold the touchdown call.

The NFL was forced to amend its rules in response to the play.

Over his 13 years with the Raiders, Banaszak rushed for 3,772 yards. His 47 rushing touchdowns stood as a Raiders franchise record until being broken by Hall of Famer Marcus Allen but still ranks No. 2 in team history.

Our hearts go out to Banaszak’s family and loved ones.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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