“Just win, baby” was Al Davis’ favorite saying during his nearly 50-year career with the Raiders organization. During that time, Davis, who initially served as the franchise’s first successful coach before becoming general manager and co-owner of the club, greatly enjoyed helping the Raiders become one of the NFL’s grassroots franchises.
No professional soccer franchise was more successful than the 1963-85 Raiders. During that span, the Raiders won 12 division championships, one AFL title, and three Super Bowl titles. They made the playoffs 15 times while advancing to 10 games for the conference title. The Raiders suffered just two losing seasons during that span.
The Raiders’ success during that time helped them become one of the most popular teams in the NFL. Their physical nature (they led the NFL in personal foul penalties in ’76, their first championship season) also resulted in them being one of the most polarizing clubs in the league. But regardless of whether you encouraged them or not, the talent the Raiders possessed during those years, and the success they had on the field, was undeniable.
With the 2020 season just around the corner, we decided to create the Raiders’ 53-man all-time roster, built in the same way that modern teams create their 53-man roster. Before diving into the list, here is a rundown of some of the toughest decisions made for the final cuts.
Cuts in the list of big names: It was difficult to drop George Blanda, Marv Hubbard, and Pete Banaszak, three Raiders legends, off the list. Blanda, an iconic Raider, had already set up a Hall of Fame career when he joined the Raiders as a 40-year-old kick / substitute quarterback in 1967. Hubbard, a fullback, was a three-year Pro player. Bowler who retired with a whopping 4.8 yards average carry. Banaszak, a midfielder, spent 13 seasons in Oakland (leading the league in rushing touchdowns in 1975) and was a key member of the Raiders’ Super Bowl first team.
Daryle Lamonica on Rich Gannon: There is no denying Gannon’s success in Oakland. The league’s Most Valuable Player in 2002, Gannon won four consecutive Pro Bowl picks with the Raiders while guiding the franchise to its most recent Super Bowl appearance. But the assent eventually went to Lamonica, who won two league MVP awards in Oakland while guiding the Raiders to their first Super Bowl. Lamonica, who led the league in passes in 1969 and touchdown passes twice, posted an overall record of 62-16-6 as the Raiders’ starting quarterback.
Clem Daniels on Clarence Davis: Davis is firmly rooted in the tradition of the Raiders. His capture of “Sea of Hands” touchdown in the ’74 playoffs ended the Dolphins’ two-year reign atop the NFL. His 137 rushing yards in Super Bowl XI helped the Raiders run for a record 266 yards in the then Super Bowl. But Davis’ regular season numbers pale in comparison to what Daniels accomplished during his seven seasons in Oakland. A four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Daniels, the team’s first 1,000-yard runner, led the AFL in 1963 while helping Oakland post its first winning season. He also played a big role in the Raiders’ first Super Bowl race in 1967.
Now that we’ve addressed the toughest decisions on the list, let’s take a look at the Raiders’ 53-man all-time roster.
Members of the professional football Hall of Fame are denoted with *
Offense
|
QB |
Ken Stalber * |
Jim Plunkett |
Daryle Lamonica |
|
RB |
Marcus Allen * |
Bo jackson |
Clem Daniels |
|
full board |
Mark van Eaghen |
||
|
WR |
Fred Biletnikoff * |
Jerry Rice * |
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|
WR |
Tim Brown * |
Art Powell |
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|
SWR |
Cliff Branch |
James Jett |
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|
TEA |
Dave Casper * |
Todd christensen |
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LT |
Art Shell * |
Harry schuh |
|
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LG |
Gene Upshaw * |
Steve Wisniewski |
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|
C |
Jim Otto * |
Dan Mosebar |
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RG |
Wayne Hawkins |
George Buehler |
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RT |
Henry Lawrence |
Lincoln Kennedy |
There was no drama in selecting the Raiders’ starting quarterback. While Plunkett (the Super Bowl XV MVP) is extremely deserving of his backup spot, making “The Snake” the headline was an obvious choice. The league’s Most Valuable Player during the 1974 season, Stabler won four Pro Bowl picks in a span of five years from 1973-77. During that span, he led the NFL in touchdown passes and completion percentage on two separate occasions. Stabler also guided Oakland to five consecutive AFC championship games, as well as the franchise’s first Super Bowl victory at the end of the 1976 season.
Running was also an easy enough choice. While the Raiders have had some good ones, the initial job went to Allen, the franchise’s all-time career leader. The 1985 NFL MVP, Allen’s 191 yards and two touchdowns earned him MVP honors after the Raiders’ 38-9 victory over Washington in Super Bowl XVIII. Complementing Allen is Jackson, his teammate in Los Angeles from 1987-90. Jackson, the first athlete to be named an All-Star in two different sports, recorded the longest career in the NFL in three of his four seasons with the Raiders.
You will have a hard time finding a better group of tight ends and receivers than the ones on this list. This unit includes four members of the Hall of Fame in Casper, Brown, Biletnikoff and Rice. Branch, the only member of this group to play a role in all three Raiders Super Bowl wins, is arguably the best eligible player in the NFL who is not currently in Canton. Another member of this group who deserves more Hall of Fame consideration is Christensen, a five-time Pro Bowler player who led the NFL in receptions on two separate occasions.
The Raiders’ offensive line is almost as charged as its receiving body. Leading the way is center Hall of Fame trio Jim “Double O” Otto, left guard Gene Upshaw and left tackle Art Shell. During the seven seasons of the trio together, the Raiders’ offense led the league in scoring three times, while finishing second and third in that department on two other occasions.
Defending
|
LDE |
Howie Long * |
Ben davidson |
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DT |
Otis Sistrunk |
Chester McGlockton |
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New Testament |
Reggie Kinlaw |
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RDE |
Greg Townsend |
Lyle Alzado |
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LOLB |
Phil Villipiano |
Khalil Mack |
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RILB |
Dan Conners |
Gus Otto |
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LILB |
Matt Millen |
Greg Biekert |
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|
ROLB |
Ted Hendricks * |
Rod Martin |
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|
LCB |
Mike Haynes * |
Charles Woodson |
Terry McDaniel |
|
RCB |
Willie Brown * |
Lester Hayes |
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|
H.H |
George Atkinson |
Mike Davis |
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|
FS |
Jack tatum |
Vann McElroy |
Dave Grayson |
The Raiders defense has at least one Hall of Famer player on each level. Starting on the defensive line, the Raiders boast great success at Long, an eight-time Pro Bowler who played a key role on the Raiders ’83 championship team. Long was half a defensive duo that also included Alzado, whose 2.5 sacks against the Steelers in the first round of the ’83 playoffs helped fuel the Raiders’ Super Bowl career.
Hendricks, an eight-time Pro Bowler, leads the linebackers for the Raiders. A threat on special teams due to his penchant for blocking kicks, Hendricks won a Super Bowl with the Colts before winning three more during his time with the Raiders. He spent seven seasons playing alongside Martin, whose three interceptions during the Raiders’ 27-10 win over the Eagles in Super Bowl XV remains a Super Bowl record. The Raiders linebacker room also includes Mack, who won three Pro Bowl and two All-Pro nods during his four seasons in Oakland.
The Raiders’ high school may be their most talented position group. The unit includes two current members of the Hall of Fame (Hayes and Brown), with Woodson eligible for induction in 2021. The Raiders’ defensive field also includes the intimidating duo of Atkinson and Tatum, whose altercations with the Hall of Famer receiver. Steelers Fame Lynn Swann helped fuel the NFL’s best rivalry during the 1970s. Hayes, a member of the NFL All-Decade team for the 1980s, earned Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading the NFL. with 13 interceptions during the 1980 season. Three years later, he and Haynes helped shut down Washington’s prolific airstrike in Super Bowl XVIII. Speaking of Super Bowls, Brown’s 75-yard pick-six against the Vikings is one of the most iconic plays in Super Bowl history.
Special teams
A former first-round pick, Janikowski, a professional bowler in 2011, converted the longest field goal of the NFL season in three years over a span of four years. His 63-yard start in 2011 tied the NFL record, a record that was broken by Matt Prater in 2013. Oakland’s kicker for 17 seasons, Janikowski’s 1,799 career points as Raider is a franchise record.
The second pure kicker to win induction in Canton, Guy, a seven-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, was the Raiders’ bettor during each of his three Super Bowl victories. In Super Bowl XVIII, the capture of a strong blow from Guy prevented a possible disaster while showing off his athletic prowess.
In addition to being a prolific receiver, Brown was also an elite returner. As a rookie, Brown was the NFL’s best kick returner, with a kickoff of 97 yards. He also returned three punt-outs during his career, leading the league in punt return yards earned in 1994.
