From Oakland, to Los Angeles to Las Vegas, the Raiders have been all over California. The Silver and Black have had their fair share of ups and downs but they've managed to make it to the playoffs time and time again. With a handful of titles both as part of the AFL and the NFL, the Raiders have proven that they are indeed a force to be reckoned with.
These five legends surely made a case as being the biggest legends in Raiders lore.
5. Tim Brown (WR, 1988-2003)
As one of the elite receivers to ever play in the NFL, Tim Brown is undoubtedly one of the biggest Raiders legend ever. He played for both Oakland and Los Angles in an incredible 16-year career for the Raiders.
The nine-time Pro Bowler is the franchise's all-time receiving leader tallying a total of 1,070 catches, 14,734 yards and 99 touchdowns. Need we say more? Oh, and he was also inducted in the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame.
4. Jim Otto (C, 1960-1974)
The great Jim Otto is one of the Raiders' “OG”. The center was part of the first Raiders team to play in the NFL and continued to play a total of 15 seasons for the squad. He immediately cemented his legacy as he made the all-AFL team in ten straight years from 1960-1969.
The 12-time All-Star also made it to the All-Pro team twice in his much-celebrated career. Otto proved that he was one of the toughest players ever, suffering a total of 308 injuries accounting for 40 surgeries amid playing all 210 regular season games. Otto is arguably the best player in franchise history to never win a Super Bowl title.
3. Ken Stabler (QB, 1970-1979)
The late Ken Stabler is arguably the best quarterback to ever play for the Raiders franchise. “The Snake” was one of the most clutch playmakers to suit up for the Silver and Black and his 10-year career with the Raiders was nothing short of spectacular. The four-time Pro Bowler dominated was the Raiders' main gunner in the entire 1970 decade.
He was named the NFL MVP in 1974 and led the franchise to their first ever Super Bowl title in 1976. Needless to say that the signal-caller was dominating the 1970s as he was also named to the 1970's All-Decade Team.
2. Gene Upshaw (G, 1967-1981)
At 6 feet 5 and 255 pounds, it's hard to overlook the legendary Gene Upshaw. Upshaw, who played tackle in his collegiate career, was surprisingly put at the guard spot by head coach Al Davis and this immediately worked wonders for the franchise.
The Texas-native ended up being one of the best guards in the NFL making seven Pro Bowls, five All-Pro teams and two Super Bowl titles in 1976 and 1980. Upshaw had the perfect combination of speed and power dominated the Raiders' defensive line. After he retired in 1981, the guard was was almost immediately inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.
1- Marcus Allen (RB, 1981-1992)
When you talk about the Raiders' Commitment to Excellence, then you have no choice but to include one of the best running backs both in NFL and Raiders history. Allen is Raiders' all-time rushing leader with 2,090 attempts for a total of 8,545 yards and 79 touchdowns after 11 years with the franchise.
Though he did end his career with the Kansas City Chiefs, he was arguably at his best when he was playing for the Raiders. In his 11-year stay with the Raiders, he was named to the Pro Bowl five times and was selected to the All-Pro Team twice. He won the trifecta of Rookie of the Year, NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP all in his time in Los Angeles.
Follow Us
Subscribe