Barret Robbins, the ex-Las Vegas Raiders center who went missing ahead of Super Bowl XXXVII, died Thursday. He was 52.
The team confirmed Robbins’ death in a social-media post Friday. It did not provide details regarding Robbins’ death.
News of Robbins’ death circulated on social media early Friday morning, when former Raiders receiver Tim Brown said he was informed of Robbins’ death.
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Robbins, who was drafted by the team in the second round of the 1995 NFL Draft, went on to play nine years in the league, all of which came as a member of the Raiders.
After a slow start to his career, in which he didn’t start a single game in his rookie season, Robbins developed into a mainstay with the Raiders, starting every game in which he appeared with the team the rest of his career.
His best season came in 2002, when Robbins started all 16 games with the Raiders and earned his first — and only — Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods.
The Raiders went 11-5 that season, and defeated the New York Jets and Tenneessee Titans in the playoffs to advance to the Super Bowl, where the team would face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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But the day before the Super Bowl, Robbins was reported missing. He was eventually found by the team, but was “incoherent,” then-Raiders head coach Bill Callahan told reporters. Robbins had reportedly been dealing with depression at the time.
Robbins did not play in Super Bowl XXXVII, which the Raiders lost 48-21. His presence was missed, as quarterback Rich Gannon got sacked five times and threw five interceptions during the loss.
Following the Super Bowl, Robbins was taken to an addiction center, where he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He returned to the team for the 2003 season and started nine games.
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Robbins was released by the team after the season, however, after being accused of testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. He did not appear in the NFL again.
Robbins experienced legal trouble and multiple arrests following his NFL career. In 2004, he was arrested for punching a security guard. A year later, he was shot multiple times in a brawl with police. He pleaded guilty to five charges, including attempted murder, and was sentenced to five years probation.
He received five years of prison time in 2011 after he was pulled over by police the previous year with crack cocaine in his car. Robbins was released in 2012. He was also arrested in 2016 after allegedly punching a mother and her daughter and was charged with assault.
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