Barret Robbins, the All-Pro center who anchored the Oakland Raiders’ offensive line for nine NFL seasons, has died at age 52. The Raiders confirmed his passing on Friday, with no cause disclosed.
Hall of Fame wide receiver Tim Brown, a former Raiders teammate, first shared the news on social media Thursday night. Brown wrote that Robbins’ wife, Marissa, informed him her husband had passed peacefully in his sleep overnight. He asked for prayers for Robbins’ family and former teammates.
Robbins joined the Raiders as a second-round draft pick out of TCU in 1995. Over his career, he appeared in 121 games with 105 starts, all for the Silver and Black. In 2002, his standout season, he earned first-team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl selection while starting all 16 games. That year, the Raiders topped the NFL in total offense, and Robbins led the line that carried them to Super Bowl XXXVII.
The most vivid memory from Robbins’ tenure came on the eve of that Super Bowl in San Diego. He left the team hotel and vanished for about 24 hours, crossing into Tijuana, Mexico. He returned incoherent, and coach Bill Callahan suspended him for the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Raiders fell 48-21 in a lopsided defeat. Robbins later revealed he had skipped medication for bipolar disorder and depression.
After retiring following the 2003 season, Robbins faced personal struggles. He encountered several run-ins with law enforcement, including a 2005 incident in Miami Beach where police shot him three times during a burglary investigation. He pleaded guilty to related charges and, in 2011, served time in prison for a drug-related probation violation before his release in 2012.
Tributes poured in from across the Raiders community. Former quarterback Rich Gannon, who snapped to Robbins for years, posted a simple message: “Sad to hear of the passing of my center and former teammate, Barret Robbins. RIP my brother!” The Raiders issued a statement expressing deep sadness, noting his status as one of the league’s elite centers and extending condolences to his family and friends from Raider Nation.
Robbins’ death marks another somber chapter for a franchise rich in history. His contributions helped define a high-powered offense in the early 2000s, even as his life took challenging turns afterward.
BREAKING: Barret Robbins Dead At 52 And Tim Brown’s Words About His Life Say Everything
— ArtVoice (@TheRealArtVoice) March 27, 2026
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