Rich Stephens, former Raiders offensive lineman, dead at 59

Former Raiders offensive lineman Rich Stephens has died at the age of 59, according to his obituary. 

Stephens played in the NFL for two seasons in the mid-1990s, both with the Raiders.

He made 29 appearances, starting two games. 

“The Raiders Family is mourning the passing of Rich Stephens, who played in two seasons with the Silver and Black,” the Raiders wrote in a statement.

“The thoughts of the entire Raider Nation are with Rich’s family at this time.”

The St. Louis native stood at 6-foot-7 and weighed 310 pounds, playing college football at Tulsa before being picked by the Bengals in the ninth round of the 1989 NFL Draft. 

He never played for Cincinnati, instead making his NFL debut with the Raiders, previously located in Los Angeles.

Stephens played 16 games with the Raiders in 1993, then missed the 1994 season before making 13 appearances in 1995.

The Raiders went 10-6 and made the playoffs in 1993, while failing to qualify for the postseason in 1995 with an 8-8 record.

Before his NFL career, he enjoyed a two-year stint with the Sacramento Surge of the World League of American Football, a developmental league that featured eight teams across the U.S. and Canada, plus teams in London, Barcelona and Frankfurt.

Stephens helped the Surge become the first and only American team to win a World Bowl title in 1992, before the league was suspended and restructured. 

The Surge rebranded as the Sacramento Gold Miners and joined the CFL, and Stephens moved along to the Raiders.

Stephens was once named one of the WLAF’s top 10 prospects, per his obituary.

“Rich was dearly loved within the Raiders Organization as his personality was a blessing to the morale and wellness of many,” his stlfuneral.com obituary states.

He is survived by his sisters, Stephanie Stephens and Deanna Griffey.