Rip: Raiders Iconic Wide Receiver and AFL Champion Passes Away at 79 – Report….
The Raiders family is in mourning over the passing of a former outstanding wide receiver on the eve of Super Bowl LVIII. Many sites, including Pro Football Talk, claim that seven-year NFL great Rod Sherman passed away at the age of 79.
Former Raiders WR Rod Sherman: 1967 AFL Champion
Born in Pasadena, California, in 1944, Sherman played at John Muir High School before committing to play for the USC Trojans. In his three seasons with the Trojans, he snagged 83 passes for 1,085 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also rushed 162 times for 822 yards and eight scores. Sherman earned All-Pac-8 honors in 1966, accumulating 654 yards and five scores
Selected with the seventh overall pick in the 1966 AFL draft, Sherman landed with the Oakland Raiders. As a rookie, he caught five passes for 61 yards in 13 games, with Oakland winning the AFL. Quarterback Daryle Lomonica won the MVP. Sherman left after his first season, joining the Cincinnati Bengals in 1968. He caught 31 passes for 374 yards before returning to Oakland in 1969, where he spent the next four years. He tallied 35 receptions for 533 yards and a score while donning the black and silver. His best game came against the Cleveland Browns in 1070, registering four catches for 35 yards.
Sherman landed with the Denver Broncos in 1972, having a career-best 38 receptions for 661 yards and three scores. He joined the Rams in 1973, his final season in the NFL. He caught one pass for eight yards during his short stint with the NFC West club.
Las Vegas Raiders: Posts Tribute to Sherman
“The Raiders Family is deeply saddened by the passing of Rod Sherman, who played four seasons with the Silver and Black in a pro career that spanned 1967-73,” said the Raiders in a newsletter on their official website.
The Las Vegas media group continued, saying, “His then-record, 82-yard touchdown reception from Daryle Lamonica on a soggy Oakland Coliseum field propelled the Raiders to a 21-14 win over Miami in a 1970 AFC Division playoff game, sending them to the AFC Championship Game.
“The condolences of the entire Raider Nation are with the Sherman family at this time,” continued the AFC West club.
