Another Raiders great has passed. Legendary offensive tackle John Vella who was the team’s starting right tackle for their first Super Bowl title has passed. The Raiders sent out a message in memoriam Wednesday.
Vella often gets overlooked on a line that included the likes of Hall of Famers Art Shell and Gene Upshaw along with stalwart center Dave Dalby.
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But he and George Buehler held down the right side of the Raiders offensive line for their dominant teams of the mid-70s.
Vellas is just as well known for what he did after his playing career. The LA native and USC grad started a chain of stores called John Vella’s Raider Locker Room.
Vella was 74 years old.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Radiers right tackle for Super Bowl XI dies
