On March 27, 2026, Hall of Fame wide receiver Tim Brown received a phone call that stopped him cold.
On the other end was Marissa Robbins, Barret Robbins wife of former Raiders All-Pro center, delivering the news that her husband had passed peacefully in his sleep at 52.
Brown wrote on social media shortly after that it was unfortunate that Barret’s life was never the same after he was not allowed to play in the Super Bowl, closing his tribute by telling Barret to rest peacefully because he deserved it.
That call told you everything about Marissa. Even in the worst moment of her life, she was the one reaching out, holding the family together the same way she always had.
This is her story and the family behind one of the NFL’s most talented and most tragic figures.
Who Is Marissa Robbins- Barret Robbins Wife and the Woman Behind the Raiders Center?
Barret Robbins, the Raiders center whose mental health struggles led to him missing Super Bowl 37, has died at 52 according to multiple ex-teammates. https://t.co/1ly2PodWAi
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) March 27, 2026
Marissa Robbins is the wife of former Oakland Raiders center Barret Robbins and the mother of their two daughters, Marley and Madison.
She has largely stayed out of the public eye throughout the years, which makes her presence in this story all the more powerful.
When Barret Robbins passed away on March 26, 2026, Robbins wife Marissa personally called Tim Brown to share the news.
Brown, deeply moved, said that the thoughts and condolences of the entire Raider Nation are with Barret’s family and friends.
NFL reporter Andrea Kremer, who had covered Barret’s story closely for years, also extended her condolences directly to Marissa, noting that Barret had trusted her to tell his story honestly and that the passing of Barret Robbins was a genuine loss for everyone who knew him.
Barret Robbins- The Former All-Pro Raiders Center Who Should Have Had It All
To understand Marissa’s story, you have to understand who Barret Robbins was and what his family lived through alongside him.
Barret Glenn Robbins was born on August 26, 1973, played college football at TCU and was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 1995 NFL Draft.
Over his NFL career from 1995 to 2003, he played 121 games for the Silver and Black and was the anchor of one of the most dominant offensive lines in the league.
His best year came in 2002 when Robbins started all 16 games, earned his Pro Bowl selection, and was named first-team All-Pro under coach Bill Callahan.
Former Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon built his game around Robbins at center, and that Oakland Raiders offensive line helped carry the team all the way to Super Bowl XXXVII.
Everything was pointing toward the moment of a lifetime.
Then came the day before the game.
The Night Barret Robbins Disappeared Before the Super Bowl and How It Changed Everything
Robbins went missing the day before Super Bowl XXXVII from the team hotel in San Diego.
Gone for nearly 24 hours, he disappeared before the Super Bowl after stopping his medication and crossing the border into Tijuana in a full manic state, having convinced himself the Raiders had already won.
When he returned, coach Bill Callahan found him completely unfit to play in the Super Bowl and ruled him out immediately.
Afterward, Robbins told ESPN that he had no real memory of why he had gone to Tijuana and that stopping his medication had completely taken over his thinking.
He spent 30 days at the Betty Ford Center, where he was formally diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Robbins was diagnosed with depression and anxiety initially at TCU, including a hospitalization after a psychotic episode, but the full picture of what he was dealing with only became clear after the Super Bowl.
The Raiders lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-21 without their All-Pro center at the heart of their offensive line.
Marissa later spoke publicly about those years, describing stretches where Barret would have breakfast and go straight back to bed, his struggles playing out in silence at home while the outside world had no idea.
Life After the NFL- The Struggles That Barret Robbins Wife Marissa Watched From Home
Robbins started nine games in 2003 before the Raiders released him in 2004 after a positive test linked to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative performance-enhancing drugs scandal. His NFL career was over.
What followed were years of painful headlines.
In 2005, Robbins was arrested and shot three times by police in Miami Beach during a reported burglary investigation. He pleaded guilty to five charges stemming from that incident.
In 2011, Robbins was sentenced to five years in prison for a drug-related probation violation and was released in September 2012.
In 2016, Robbins was charged and arrested in Boca Raton and sent to a mental health facility for evaluation.
In a 2009, HBO Real Sports interview, Robbins told Andrea Kremer that before his bipolar disorder diagnosis, he had managed his mood swings with alcohol, cocaine, and steroids, saying he believed his struggles led to him missing the Super Bowl more than anything else.
Robbins later reflected that losing that game without being on the field was the hardest thing he had ever lived with.
Marissa, interviewed in the same segment, gave a rare and honest window into how frightening and unpredictable those years had been for their family.
Through every single chapter, Marissa remained part of his story.
Barret Robbins Wife Marissa and Their Daughters- The Family He Leaves Behind
Barret Robbins leaves behind Marissa and their daughters, Marley and Madison.
Both parents worked hard to keep the girls away from the public chaos surrounding his life.
When Tim Brown announced Robbins’ death, he specifically asked Raider Nation to pray for the girls, a request that landed differently, knowing what Marley and Madison had witnessed growing up alongside a father who battled so much for so long.
The Las Vegas Raiders released an official statement confirming that Barret Robbins has died and sending the condolences of the entire organization to his family and friends.
AI Overview
Barret Robbins was one of the best centers to ever play for the Oakland Raiders, a Pro Bowl player, a former All-Pro and the kind of lineman that former Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon built his entire game around.
But his life after football was a long and painful road that his family walked right beside him.
Marissa Robbins is not a headline.
She is the woman who loved her husband through the hardest possible years, raised two daughters, and was the first person to make sure the people who loved Barret knew he had passed peacefully in his sleep.
FAQs
How did Barret Robbins die?
Barret Robbins passed peacefully in his sleep on March 26, 2026. He was 52 years old. No official cause of death has been publicly confirmed at this time.
Who is Barret Robbins wife?
Barret Robbins wife is Marissa Robbins. She personally called center and former teammate Tim Brown to share the news of Robbins death, a moment Brown described as one of the hardest calls he has ever received.
Does Barret Robbins have children?
Yes. Barret Robbins and Marissa have two daughters named Marley and Madison. Both parents kept the girls largely out of the public eye throughout the years.
What happened to Barret Robbins before the Super Bowl?
Robbins disappeared before Super Bowl XXXVII after stopping his bipolar disorder medication. He crossed into Tijuana in a manic state, convinced the Raiders had already won, and coach Bill Callahan ruled him out for the game when he returned. The Raiders lost 48-21 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Rest peacefully, BR. You deserve it.
