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Former Oakland Raiders center Barret Robbins has passed away at the age of 52, according to an announcement made Thursday night by his former teammate Tim Brown on social media platform X. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
In his heartfelt message, Brown shared, “It’s with great regret I tell you I just received a call from Marissa Robbins informing me that Raiders All-Pro center Barret Robbins passed away overnight. Thankfully, he passed peacefully in his sleep.”
He went on to ask for prayers for Robbins’ family, especially his daughters, and the many teammates who will feel the loss deeply. Brown also reflected on Robbins’ difficult post-football life, noting, “It’s unfortunate that his life was never the same after he was not allowed to play in the Super Bowl!
Rest peacefully, BR, you deserve it!”
Robbins spent his entire nine-season NFL career with the Raiders, from 1995 to 2003. He was a key player who earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors in 2002 after playing all 16 games that season.
However, he became widely known for his disappearance for 24 hours just before Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003. Upon his return, he was deemed incoherent and unable to participate in the game, which the Raiders lost 48-21 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Houston native later revealed that he had stopped taking medication for bipolar disorder and depression during that period. His career also ended amid controversy when he was released in 2004 following a performance-enhancing drug violation.
Robbins’ struggles extended off the field, marked by multiple legal issues. In 2005, he was involved in a Miami Beach burglary investigation during which he was shot three times and later pleaded guilty to several charges.
In 2011, he was sentenced to five years in prison related to a drug probation violation but was released the following year. In 2016, he faced assault charges involving an incident outside a bar.
The Raiders organization issued a statement mourning Robbins’ death, saying, “The Raiders Family is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Barret Robbins. Oakland’s second-round draft pick out of TCU in 1995, he was among the league’s top centers over nine seasons with the Raiders, earning first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2002. He played in 121 career games with 105 starts, all with the Silver and Black.”
They extended their condolences to Robbins’ family and friends, expressing that Raider Nation stands with them during this difficult time.