Former Raider great Todd Christensen dies at age 57

Todd Christensen, a five-time Pro Bowl tight end who helped the Raiders win two Super Bowls, died Wednesday morning during surgery in a Utah hospital. He was 57.

The news was posted on Facebook by Christensen’s former BYU teammate Reno Mahe and confirmed by the BYU athletic department on Twitter.

Christensen had battled liver disease and other illnesses in recent years.

He caught 152 passes for 1,568 yards and 15 touchdowns as a running back at BYU, making the All-WAC team in 1977 and the Cougars’ Hall of Fame in 1977.

After being drafted by Dallas in the second round of the 1978 draft, Christensen didn’t become a star until several years into his tenure with the Raiders, making five consecutive Pro Bowls from 1983 to ’87. He had 349 catches in four seasons, an NFL record.

He had career highs in yards receiving (1,247) and touchdown catches (12) in 1983 and finished his 10-year career with 461 receptions for 5,872 yards and 41 touchdowns.

Christensen went on to work in broadcasting, most recently as a college football analyst on the MountainWest Sports Network until 2012.

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