Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell announced the death of his father, Jim O’Connell.
He was left off the active roster for the game against the New Orleans Saints and will miss two consecutive games.
The team has not announced when he will return, while the head coach expressed support for O’Connell and his family.
3-Line Summary
1. O’Connell will miss two games following his father’s death.
2. He was officially ruled out for the game against the Saints.
3. A return date has not yet been set.
Announcing His Father’s Death on Instagram
On Friday, Aidan O’Connell announced the death of his father, Jim O’Connell, by posting a photo with his parents on Instagram. He wrote that his father had been a gift to him and many others and had left an impact on the lives of many people. He also said that his family was experiencing profound grief and expressed gratitude for the prayers and support.
According to Fox News, O’Connell deactivated his social media account after posting the message. He conveyed that the loss was extremely difficult for the entire family, while also expressing his belief that his father was resting peacefully. This was a message directly announcing a family bereavement from the player himself, rather than an issue involving performance or injury.
O’Connell joined the Raiders after being selected by the team in the 4th round of the 2023 draft. The report said he had appeared in 21 games to date, recording 3,932 (3932) yards and 20 touchdown passes. Early this season, he had served as the third quarterback behind Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza.
Also Out Against the Saints, Team Officially Announces
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the Raiders officially ruled O’Connell out ahead of their game against the Saints at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. O’Connell had been away from the team for more than 1 week following his father’s death, making this his second consecutive absence.
The team listed him as questionable on Friday, leaving open the possibility that he would join the trip to New Orleans. Ultimately, however, the decision was made for him to miss the game. In the report, head coach Clint Kubiak said he was praying for O’Connell and his family and that he missed him. He also said that O’Connell was an important member of the team.
FantasyPros reported separately that O’Connell had been listed as questionable for personal reasons ahead of the Los Angeles Chargers game. However, based solely on the information provided, it cannot be confirmed whether this was at the same time as the report of his absence from the Saints game or concerned a later schedule. The clear facts are that the Raiders officially confirmed O’Connell’s absence ahead of the Saints game and that his father’s death was behind it.
References
Tags #LasVegasRaiders #Raiders #AidanOConnell #AidanOConnell #NFL #AmericanFootball #Quarterback #FamilyBereavement #NewOrleansSaints #SaintsGame #ClintKubiak #KirkCousins