The Raiders have lost a hero from their glory years.
Rod Martin, a starting linebacker for the Oakland Raiders when they won Super Bowl 15 and for the Los Angeles Raiders when they prevailed in Super Bowl 18 has died at the age of 72. The team, now based in Las Vegas, confirmed Martin's death on social media.
"The Raiders family is deeply saddened by the passing of Rod Martin, a standout linebacker and key player on two Super Bowl championship teams," read a statement distributed by the team.
It went on to say: "A beloved member of the Raiders Family and a favorite of Raiders fans everywhere, the deepest condolences of the entire Raider Nation are with Rod's family at this time."
Martin is best known for setting a Super Bowl record with three interceptions on a singular Super Sunday, pilfering Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski thrice in Oakland's 27-10 victory in Super Bowl 15, making the 1980 Raiders the first wild-card team to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. That game, played Jan. 15, 1981, was also notable for occurring five days after 52 Americans were released after being held hostage in Iran for 444 days. The New Orleans Superdome, site of the game, was wrapped in a yellow ribbon. Martin's heroics that day were immortalized by NFL Films and with a "Sports Illustrated" cover.
Three years later, Martin came up big again, recording a sack and recovering a fumble as the L.A. Raiders thrashed a heavily favored Washington squad 38-9 in Tampa. It was also the last time the Raiders, once among the NFL's flagship franchises, won the Super Bowl.
Yet Martin was also an excellent player when the lights weren't at their brightest. A 12th-round draft pick out of USC in 1977, he was a two-time Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro in 1984. He retired after the 1988 season, finishing with 56½ career sacks and 14 regular-season interceptions, four of which he returned for touchdowns.
Barret Robbins, football, 1973-2026Matt Snell, football, 1941-2026Troy Murray, hockey, 1962-2026Bob Harlan, football, 1936-2026Lou Holtz, football, 1937-2026Dominiq Ponder, football, 2002-2026Bruce Froemming, baseball, 1939-2026Jeff Galloway, Olympics, 1945-2026
1 / 29Sports figures we lost in 2026Barret Robbins, football, 1973-20261 / 29Sports figures we lost in 2026Barret Robbins, football, 1973-20262 / 29Sports figures we lost in 2026Matt Snell, football, 1941-20263 / 29Sports figures we lost in 2026Troy Murray, hockey, 1962-20264 / 29Sports figures we lost in 2026Bob Harlan, football, 1936-20265 / 29Sports figures we lost in 2026Lou Holtz, football, 1937-20266 / 29Sports figures we lost in 2026Dominiq Ponder, football, 2002-20267 / 29Sports figures we lost in 2026Bruce Froemming, baseball, 1939-20268 / 29Sports figures we lost in 2026Jeff Galloway, Olympics, 1945-2026
Martin, who was born in West Virginia, worked at USC after his playing days and had two daughters who were college athletes. His nephew, Al Martin, played Major League Baseball for 11 seasons between 1992 and 2003.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rod Martin, Raiders Super Bowl legend, dies at age 72, team announces