Rich Caster, a three-time Pro Bowler with the Jets, has died at the age of 75. (NFL)
Richard Caster, a former New York Jets tight end and wide receiver who earned three Pro Bowl selections during his impressive 13-year NFL career, has died at the age of 75.
Family representative Kenny Zore confirmed that Caster peacefully died in his sleep on Friday morning in Long Island, New York, after bravely battling a prolonged illness.
Richard Caster NFL Journey
Caster, a second-round pick of the Jets in 1970 out of Jackson State, left an indelible mark. He caught 322 passes for 5,515 yards and 45 touchdowns throughout his NFL journey.
Caster spent his first eight seasons with the New York Jets, emerging as a favorite target for Joe Namath. He started as a wide receiver with a 4.5-second 40-yard dash, the 6-foot-5, 228-pound but transformed into a tight end by coach Weeb Ewbank due to his remarkable combination of size and speed.
“The general approach from most teams defensively was to try to cover the tight end with a linebacker.” Caster recalled in an interview with the Jets’ website in 2018. “And I could outrun most linebackers or any linebacker that I ever ran into, really. But it was pretty much not a secret. ‘OK, let’s see how this matches up, if it holds up.’ It didn’t hold up.
“I ran away from most of the people that I had a chance to get away from. It was all around getting a good matchup.”
Caster achieved all three of his Pro Bowl selections with the Jets in the 1972, ’74, and ’75 seasons, with his 4,434 receiving yards ranking 10th on the franchise’s career list.
Memorable Moments: Week 2 of the 1972 Season
One of his standout moments occurred in Week 2 of the 1972 season when he caught three of Namath’s six touchdown passes, contributing six receptions for 204 yards in New York’s 44-34 victory over Johnny Unitas and the Baltimore Colts. That season, he set career highs with 833 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns, reaching a personal-best 47 receptions in 1975.
Career Highlights and Achievements
Caster played three years in Houston before splitting the 1981 season between New Orleans and Washington. He played in one game for the Washington team that won the Super Bowl to cap the 1982 season.
“I’m most proud of being able to play as long as I did, getting 13 years in the league during a period where the career average was a heck of a lot less than 13,” Caster told the Jets’ website. “When I came in, I think it was somewhere around two, 2½ years. I was real proud of my ability to still have some talent where I was able to be traded and signed late in my career to bring some value to some teams.”
Family and Personal Legacy
Caster leaves behind a legacy and is survived by his wife Susan; sons Richard J. Caster, Max Caster, and Sean Caster; daughters Shannon Myla and Alona Nicole; and five grandchildren.
This report used information from ESPN.
