Raiders' Daryle 'The Mad Bomber' Lamonica Dead at 80
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NFL legend Daryle Lamonica, widely known for his time with the Oakland Raiders, died Thursday. He was 80.
According to ESPN, the Fresno County Sheriff's Office confirmed Lamonica — who earned the nickname "The Mad Bomber" for this deep passes on the field — died at his home in Fresno, California. According to multiple outlets, he died of natural causes, though the FCSO didn't immediately return PEOPLE's request for comment.
Lamonica's team (now known as the Las Vegas Raiders) expressed their condolences to his family in a statement shared on their Instagram on Thursday.
"The Raiders Family is deeply saddened to learn of Daryle Lamonica's passing earlier today," it read.
They followed up their tribute with a video post of Lamonica on the field.
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Born on July 14, 1971, Lamonica grew up in the Central Valley of California and went on to become a quarterback at Fresno County based Clovis High School. In his college years, he played football at the University of Notre Dame.
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Lamonica played in the American Football League and the NFL for 12 seasons, primarily for the Raiders and the Buffalo Bills.
He is credited with leading the Raiders to their first Super Bowl in 1967. According to The New York Times, Lamonica threw for 25 touchdowns and managed to average about 250 passing yards per game in 1968.
"The Raider Nation will forever miss his easy-going nature and warm smile," read a statement posted to the Raider's official site on Thursday. "Our deepest condolences are with his wife Mary, son Brandon, the rest of the Lamonica family, teammates and friends."
