By John Turney 
Pete Banaszak, the tough Oakland Raiders running back known as "the Rooster," died in October 2026 at age 82. The team announced his passing, noting that his toughness, competitive spirit, and dedication embodied a legendary era of Raiders football.
Born May 21, 1944, in Crivitz, Wisconsin, he played his entire 13-year professional career with the Raiders after being selected in the fifth round (59th overall) of the 1966 AFL Draft out of the University of Miami.
He finished with 3,772 rushing yards on 964 carries (3.9 average) and 47 rushing touchdowns, plus 121 receptions for 1,022 yards and five more scores.
Banaszak was a Super Bowl XI champion and scored two touchdowns in the Raiders' 32-14 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
He also played a central role in the famous "Holy Roller" play against the San Diego Chargers in 1978, batting Ken Stabler's forward fumble farther downfield so Dave Casper could recover it in the end zone for the winning score.
His signature season came in 1975. Banaszak led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns (still the Raiders' single-season franchise record) while rushing for a career-high 672 yards on 187 carries (3.6 average) in 14 games.
Remarkably, he started none of them. Per Stathead data, that 16-touchdown total is the most by any player since 1950 who started zero games in a season. 
It was an odd rotation, but with veteran Marv Hubbard and youngster Mark van Eeghen splitting time at fullback, Banaszak spelled them and the halfbacks and was the tough-guy in short-yardage and goal-line situations (Ken Stabler called him the best short-yardage runner he ever saw), yet he still led the team in both rushing yards and touchdowns and received the team's Gorman Award as MVP from his teammates.
Rooster knew his role and took a realistic approach to it. "I don't know whether I should be proud or embarrassed," he said when reminded of his short-yardage specialty, telling UPI in 1978. "I don't think I've been blessed with as much ability as some of the guys who've been with us, but I'm not going to downgrade my own ability either because I've seen some guys come in who are great athletes and I've seen them go, too."
Added UPI: "His role is clear: in short-yardage situations he takes the handoff and drives straight ahead. He feels the pressure of those plays but accepts it. He argues the Raiders' power-oriented offense doesn't need breakaway backs; they led the conference in rushing by 'bang[ing] and hammer[ing] away.'"
A Wisconsin native fiercely proud of his Polish heritage, Banaszak was inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 1990 and the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 1983.
Pete Banaszak’s University of Miami career (1963–65) showed he was a tough, hard-running fullback/running back for the Miami Hurricanes despite frequent injuries that limited his playing time.
As a sophomore in 1963, he led the team in rushing (roughly 460 yards on about 97 carries) and added 18 receptions. As a junior in 1964, weight issues and more leg injuries reduced his production. He stayed healthy and productive as a senior in 1965, rushing for 473 yards on 111 carries (4.3 average), including a 46-yard run, while also catching 8 passes for 65 yards and returning kicks. Over his three-year career he totaled 1,107 rushing yards on 263 carries and 12 touchdowns.
Banaszak's pro football longevity (173 regular-season games, only 36 starts) and willingness to contribute in any role made him a classic example of the unselfish, durable contributors who helped define the Raiders of the 1960s and 1970s. In fact he was a full-time starter just two seasons of his career. ""
BW ...
ReplyDeleteThanks John, good tribute as usual.
One of John Madden's favorite players, who also had a great AFL Championship game against the Oilers in 1967. Al Davis used to joke about scouts and coaches deciding on keeping other players during final cuts because Madden would keep Pete no matter what.
RIP