Former Raiders Pro Bowl Center Barret Robbins dies at age 52

Barret Robbins (YouTube)

According to the Oakland Today, former Oakland Raiders center Barret Robbins passed away on March 27 at the age of 52. Robbins played nine seasons with the Raiders from 1995 to 2003, and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2002.

Robbins played 121 National Football League regular season games. He had three fumble recoveries (one in 1996, one in 1999 and one in 2003). The first fumble recovery came in a 19-3 Raiders loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on September 8, 1996, the second fumble recover came in a 16-13 Raiders loss to the Denver Broncos on October 10, 1999, and the third fumble recovery came in a 23-13 Raiders loss to the Detroit Lions on November 2, 2003. It is interesting that none of the fumbles recoveries had much of an impact as the Raiders lost all three games.

It was at the Super Bowl in 2003 where Robbins made NFL headlines. He went missing the day before the Super Bowl, a game the Raiders lost 48-21 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was later reported by Steve Fairnaru of the Washington Post, that Robbins was seen drinking in Mexico the day before the Super Bowl, and was suspended by the Raiders organization because he was mentally and physically unstable.

Robbins’s mental state caused tension in the Raiders organization. There were times during the 2002 season where Raiders head coach Bill Callahan wanted to suspend Robbins but the suggestion was vetoed by former Raiders owner Al Davis according to Jeff Merron of ESPN.

Robbins had a history of drug problems which led to mental health issues. On multiple occasions he was violent, and led to legal trouble. According to Chris Cwik of Yahoo! Sports, Robbins was sent to five years in prison in 2011 after crack cocaine was found in his car.

Robbins was the Raiders’s second round pick in the 1995 draft. He played his college football career at Texas Christian University.