Wisconsin football lost one of its most celebrated sons this week with the death of Pete Banaszak, the former Crivitz standout who became a fixture in Raiders history. He died on Oct. 24 at the age of 82.
Banaszak was far more than a one-sport star. In Crivitz, the northeast Wisconsin small-town community where he grew up, he made his mark in football, track and field, basketball and baseball. Football brought him the biggest spotlight, but his track résumé was just as eye-catching: back-to-back WIAA Class C state titles in the discus in 1961 and 1962, along with a then-state record throw of 157 feet, 6 1/2 inches.
On the gridiron, Banaszak built a reputation as a hard-nosed, all-conference two-way player before heading to the University of Miami on a football scholarship. There, he developed into a reliable short-yardage back and finished his college career with 1,107 yards and nine touchdowns. He was also named the team’s Most Valuable Player.
The Raiders made him a fifth-round pick in the 1966 American Football League Draft, selecting him No. 59 overall. That choice paid off for a long time.
Over 13 seasons in Oakland, Banaszak played 173 regular-season games and piled up 3,772 rushing yards, 121 catches for 1,022 yards and 52 touchdowns, according to Raiders.com. In the playoffs, he added 427 rushing yards, five touchdowns, 15 receptions and 133 receiving yards, plus another score.
His nickname told the story. Teammates and fans called him “The Rooster” because of the way he ran - tough, relentless and always looking for the end zone. That style helped him become part of two Super Bowl runs, including Super Bowl II, a 33-14 loss to Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers in 1968, and Super Bowl XI, when the Raiders beat the Minnesota Vikings 32-14 in 1977.
That championship game became the defining moment of his career. Banaszak scored two punishing short-yardage touchdowns in Super Bowl XI, helping the Raiders and Hall of Fame coach John Madden win the franchise’s first NFL title.
“I could play football, had good speed, and was kind of tough,” said Banaszak, in a prior interview with NFL Films reflecting on his career. “I knew one way to play the game and that's going 110 percent.
Whether it was one yard to go or five yards to go, some way and some how I would find a way to get there. When I had my chance, I wanted them to know who Pete Banaszak was and finish the job.
My fondest memory was winning the Super Bowl. It was the epitome of greatness.
I have Raider blood in me and thank God every time I go to church for being given the opportunity to play for the Oakland Raiders.”
Banaszak’s Raiders career also put him alongside a roster loaded with names that still echo through NFL history, including Kenny Stabler, Fred Biletnikoff, Cliff Branch, Art Shell, Gene Upshaw, Jim Otto, Willie Brown, Ray Guy, Dave Casper, Tom Flores and Ted Hendricks.
He also had a season that still stands out in team history. In 1975, Banaszak tied Buffalo’s O.J. Simpson for the NFL lead with 16 rushing touchdowns, setting a Raiders single-season franchise mark that remains intact.
His final season in 1978 brought another unforgettable moment, this one tied to the infamous “Holy Roller” play in a 21-20 win over the San Diego Chargers. On the last-second scramble, Stabler intentionally fumbled forward to avoid a sack, Banaszak pushed the ball ahead, and Dave Casper recovered it in the end zone for the winning touchdown. The play was so controversial that the NFL changed the rule book after the season.
Banaszak was later inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 1983 and the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 1990. The Raiders also honored his legacy with a statement from the current Las Vegas franchise.
“The Raiders Family mourns the passing of Pete Banaszak, whose toughness, competitive spirit, and dedication embodied a legendary era of Raiders football and made him a cherished member of the Silver and Black,” the team said. “The deepest condolences of the entire Raider Nation are with Pete’s wife Sue, daughters Rebecca and Amy, grandsons Luke, Austin, and Connor, and all of his loved ones.”
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