The Raiders have a great history with quarterbacks to say the least. Although a team that has largely flown under the radar since its inception, they have had some of the best quarterbacks to ever wear the silver and black uniform. They have had several quarterbacks with powerful arms who have epitomized the quarterback position in Oakland, Los Angeles and now Las Vegas, such as Lamonica in the 60s, Stabler in the 70s and Gannon in the early 80s.
So who will make FanSided’s highly prestigious list of the top 5 Raiders QBs of all time? Glad you asked a topical question! These players will go down as the best players of all time within the organization, if they haven’t already.
5. Jim Plunkett
Plunkett’s Raiders resume was impressive: He was drafted No. 1 overall by the Patriots, traded to the San Francisco 49ers a few years later, and joined the Raiders as a backup in 1978. Then in the 1980s, after starting quarterback Dan Pastorini broke his leg in a game against the Chiefs, Plunkett got his chance. Plunkett led the Raiders to a win in Super Bowl XV and was named the game’s MVP.
After several years of poor performances and being benched once again, Plunkett rejoined the team and led the Raiders to a Super Bowl victory, this time in Super Bowl XVIII. As of now, he ranks fifth all-time in completions (960), sixth all-time in touchdown passes (80), holds the fifth-best QB record in franchise history (38-19), and also holds the record for the longest touchdown pass in NFL history (99 yards).
4. Rich Gannon
Gannon is another great example of a journeyman quarterback who found his home and had real success with the Raiders. He didn’t sign with a team until he was 34 years old after disappointing stints in Minnesota, Washington and Kansas City. He then signed with the Raiders in 1999 and soon after went to four straight Pro Bowls and won the NFL MVP award in 2002. He holds the unfortunate record of throwing five interceptions in the Super Bowl, three of which were pick-sixes.
Still, he will always be fondly remembered for his impact on the Raiders. He ranks fourth all-time in Raiders passing touchdowns (114), third in passing yards (17,585), second in completions (1,533) and has the second-highest quarterback rating among Raiders quarterbacks who played at least 70 games. He will forever be synonymous with the Jon Gruden Raiders era, which wasn’t a complete disaster in any respect.
3. Daryl LaMonica
Lamonica was one of the most underrated quarterbacks of his time. He led his team, then in the AFL, to four consecutive division titles from 1967-1970 and an appearance in Super Bowl LII(!). He was also known as a quarterback who wasn’t afraid to throw the pass downfield, even though that was less common at the time, earning him the now-famous nickname “The Mad Bomber.” He was a two-time AFL MVP, two-time Pro Bowler, and two-time All-AFL selection.
In team history, Lamonica ranks third in wins (62 wins, 16 losses, and 6 ties), fourth in total passing yards (16,655), fifth in touchdown percentage (6.6%) and third in touchdown passes (148). Lamonica was the winningest quarterback in NFL history.
2. Ken Stabler
Arguably no Raiders quarterback is more famous than Stabler. “The Snake” Stabler led the Raiders to five consecutive AFC Championship Games, two AFC Player of the Year awards (1974 and 1976), and won Super Bowl XI. Stabler’s accolades include NFL MVP (1974), first team All-Pro (1974), four Pro Bowls, two single-season touchdown leaders (1974, 1976), and an NFL All-70s team quarterback. He also won a national championship while playing for Coach Bear Bryant at the University of Alabama.
His place on the Raiders record board is just as prolific. He currently ranks second in touchdown passes (150), second in total passing yards (19,078), first in QB records (69-26-1 tie) and third in completion percentage among Raiders QBs who played in at least 70 games. Not only is he a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he’s also a member of the Raiders Hall of Fame. While he may not be the best Raiders QB of all time based on statistics alone, you’d be hard-pressed to find a Raiders fan who thinks Stabler is second to anyone else.
1. Derek Carr
Compared to the others on this list, Carr is the best quarterback in Raiders history, and not by a whole lot. He played the most games (142), completed the most passes (3,201), had the most touchdowns (217) and passed yards (35,222). Of course, he’s from a different era, but Carr has completed twice as many passes and passed for twice as many yards as the next best quarterback. One particularly unfortunate statistic about Carr’s time with the Raiders is that, for some reason, he also had the second-most wins in history (63) but also, by far, the most losses (79).
Things aren’t going particularly well for Carr in New Orleans, but his time with the Raiders will always be appreciated by Oakland (and likely Las Vegas) fans.
