27 Facts About Jim Otto

James Edwin Otto was an American professional football player who was a center for 15 seasons with the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League and National Football League.

Jim Otto was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980, his first year of eligibility.

Jim Otto was named to the AFL All-Time Team and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

Jim Otto had over 70 football-related surgeries, including a leg amputation.

Jim Otto was born on January 5,1938, in Wausau, Wisconsin.

Jim Otto's parents Lorenz and Loretta Otto worked a variety of jobs to help the family get by, and they had so little when Otto was a boy, they could not afford new shoes to keep his feet warm and dry in Wisconsin's winters.

Jim Otto played football at Wausau High School at linebacker and center for the Lumberjacks, under coach Win Brockmeyer; who coached Jim Otto's hero, Crazylegs Hirsch, at Wausau.

Jim Otto was particularly inspired by his offensive line coach, Tom Yelich.

Jim Otto had offers from 48 colleges to play college football, and with the help of Brockmeyer, chose the University of Miami in south Florida, where he joined the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

Jim Otto was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 1972.

Jim Otto was drafted by the proposed Minneapolis franchise of the new American Football League in the 25th round of the first AFL draft, before play ever began in the new league.

Jim Otto then signed with the Raiders and played for the entire 10 years of the league's existence and five years beyond that after the merger of the NFL and AFL.

Jim Otto worked diligently to build his body up to his playing weight of 255 pounds.

Jim Otto was the last member of the Oakland Raiders inaugural team from 1960 to retire.

Jim Otto was one of the original Oakland Raiders, and played during the team's full tenure in the AFL, from 1960 to 1969.

Jim Otto continued as a Raider in the NFL from 1970 to 1974, starting 210 consecutive games, playing a total of 308 games for the Raiders.

Jim Otto was one of only 20 players to play for the entire ten-year existence of the American Football League, and one of only three players to play in all of his team's AFL games.

Jim Otto was selected as The Sporting News All-League center from 1960 through 1969.

Jim Otto played in 12 All Star games and was All League 12 consecutive years.

Jim Otto was named the starting center on the AFL All-Time Team.

Jim Otto was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980, his first year of eligibility.

Jim Otto's body was punished greatly during his NFL career, resulting in nearly 74 operations, including 28 on his knee and multiple joint replacements.

Jim Otto's joints became riddled with arthritis and he developed debilitating back and neck problems.

Jim Otto eventually had to have his right leg amputated on August 1,2007.

Jim Otto discussed his sports injuries as well as the concussions issue in a 2013 Frontline interview for "League of Denial: The NFL's Concussion Crisis" and the 1985 documentary "Disposable Heroes: The Other Side of Football", directed by Bill Couturie.

Jim Otto was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998.

Jim Otto was the grandfather of dog musher Amanda Otto.