National Football League
Oakland Raiders
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Raiders History
Originally, the Raiders were to play in Minnesota as the 8th original franchise of the AFL. After consideration, the franchise decided that the Bay Area would be the spot for the team. The team played in San Francisco’s Kezar Stadium in their initial season and moved to Candlestick Park in 1961 where they played a woeful 2-12 season. In 1962 the team moved to Frank Youell Field, a converted high school stadium named after an undertaker. The team, with their 3rd coach in as many years, continue to struggle and lose every game except the season finale and finish a dreadful 1-13
1963 turns out to be a major year for the franchise as they hire San Diego Chargers assistant Al Davis as their new Head Coach and GM. Davis would make sweeping changes, beginning with the team colors, which he changes to black and silver. The team responds and finishes with a respectable 10-4 record.
The team would struggle the following two years posting a 5-7-2 and a 8-5-1 record. At the end of the 1965 season, Head Coach and GM Davis resigns his post to take the AFL Commissioner Post and is replaced by John Rauch.
Davis’s stint as commissioner would be a short lived 3 months as he managed to get half of the top NFL quarterbacks to sign on with the AFL. This move caused the merger of the two leagues and Al Davis returned to the Raiders as the General Manager.
Prior to the 1967 season, Davis trades QB Tom Flores for QB Daryle Lamonica. Lamonica would go on to win the AFL Player of the Year as he passed for 3,228 yards and 30 touchdown passes. The Raiders run rough shod over the league en route to posting a 13-1 season. In the AFC Championship game, the Raiders roll the Houston Oilers 40-7 to advance to the AFL-NFL Championship game
Super Bowl II matched the Raiders against the Green Bay Packers in Miami, Florida. The game was a bust from the start as the Raiders falter and fall to the Packers 33-14.
The ’68 season saw the Raiders again get off to a quick start winning their first 4 games. It was during a game against the New York Jets that would forever be logged in the annals of football lore as “The Heidi Game” when NBC Television, thinking the game over as the Raiders appeared to be notching another loss switched to the movie Heidi. The Raiders would bring the game to 32-29. However, the Jets would fumble the kickoff on their own goal line and the Raiders would recover and win the game 43-32. The team finishes at 12-2 and takes on the Kansas City Chiefs for the Division. The Raiders beat up the Chiefs 41-6 and earn a spot in the AFL Championship against Joe Namath and the New York Jets. In a sea saw battle, Namath and Raiders QB Daryle Lamonica march their teams downfield and by the by the 4th, the Raiders had a 23-20 lead. QB Joe Namath marched his Jets back down the field to take a 27-23 lead. The Raiders had one last gasp but QB Lamonica is intercepted and the game was done. Following the game, Head Coach John Rauch retired and was replaced by a young assistant by the name of John Madden.
Coach Madden would continue the winning ways for the franchise posting winning records between 1968 and 1975. The 1976 season was significant to the franchise for many reasons. Firstly, Al Davis gained sole control of the franchise when Wayne Valley sold all of his share to him. The season opener would see Steelers WR Lynn Swann knocked out of the game with a helmet to helmet hit by S George Atkinson. Steelers Coach Chuck Knoll would stir the pot by calling Atkinson a criminal which led to a lawsuit. The team would run over the league again and post a 13-1 record. In the playoffs, the team matches up against the New England Patriots in the Divisional playoffs eliminating them 24-21 to meet back up with the Steelers for the AFC Championship. Pittsburgh, with both of their 1,000 yard rushers sidelined with injuries along with 2 other RB’s and the Placekicker, the team was hard pressed to match up. With both coaches hyping the game, and Coach Knoll claiming the assaults on WR Lynn Swann criminal,.
The Steelers would have trouble keeping up with the Raiders and were whipped 24-7, thrusting the Raiders into Super Bowl XI.
Super Bowl XI matched the Raiders against the Minnesota Vikings in Pasadena. Many pundits felt that the AFC matchup was in fact the Super Bowl as the Raiders dust the Vikings 32-14.
Coach Madden would remain on with the team through the 1978 season when he retired with an amassed record of 103-32-7 (.725) and was replaced by former Raider QB Tom Flores. Also, at the beginning of the 1980 season, owner Al Davis informs the league that he intends to move his team to Los Angeles. Commissioner Pete Rozelle blocks the move with a restraining order and even goes so far as to try and remove Davis from the team. These all fail and the Raiders have another stellar season posting an 11-5 record and becoming the first wildcard team to get into the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl XV had the Eagles of the NFC against the AFC Raiders. The Raiders were still embroiled in a lawsuit brought on by NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle. The Raiders defense shines as Eagles QB Ron Jaworski is picked off 3 times by Rod Martin. Raiders QB Jim Plunkett wins the MVP Award with 3 touchdown passes. In a humiliating moment, commissioner Pete Rozelle was forced to present the Lombardi Trophy to Team Owner Al Davis. Davis would win the court battle and move his team to Los Angeles.
The Raiders were again in the Super Bowl three seasons later in Super Bowl XVIII against the Washington Redskins. Led by RB Marcus Allen scoring 2 TD’s in the 3rd Quarter as the Raiders whip the Redskins 38-9 and Commissioner Rozelle was again forced to hand over the Lombardi trophy to his nemesis.
The 1995 season saw the Raiders return to the Bay as The Raider Nation was again in Oakland and in 2002 the team was again competing for the Lombardi Trophy. Super Bowl XXXVIII matched the Raiders against the John Gruden and the NFC Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Oakland would feel the pressure even before the game as C Barret Robbins disappears for a night of hard drinking in Tijuana. Robbins was suspended and not allowed to play. The Buccaneers defense was, however, prepared for Rich Gannon and game planned him well as he is forced into a 24 – 44 passing night with 5 interceptions to only 2-touchdowns. RB Charlie Garner was held to 10 yards on 7 carries as the Bucs overwhelm the Raiders 48 – 21.
The Raiders have yet to make it back to the playoffs.
The Raiders have made the playoffs 21imes in 49seasons. They have won their Division 15imes (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1983, 1985, 1990, 2000, 2001 and 2002). They have won the Conference Championship 5 times (1967, 1976, 1980, 1983 and 2002). The team has won the Super Bowl 3 times (1976, 1980 and 1983).
The Raiders have 19 Hall of Famer on their Rosters: Marcus Allen, 1982-1992, Fred Bilentnikoff, 1965-1978, George Blanda 1967-1975, Bob Brown 1971-1973, Willie Brown 1967-1978, Dave Casper 1974-1980, 1984, Al Davis Owner 1963-present
Eric Dickerson 1992, Mike Haynes 1983-1989, Ted Hendricks 1975-1983, James Lofton 1987-1988, Howie Long 1981-1993, Ronnie Lott 1991-1992, John Madden Coach 1969-1978, Ron Mix 1971, Jim Otto 1960-1974, Art Shell 1968-1982, Gene Upshaw 1967-1981 and Rod Woodson 2001-2002).
Team Awards for the Raiders include 2 Coach of the Year (1963 Al Davis and 1967 John Rauch) 1 Defensive Rookie of the Year Awards, (1988 Charles Woodson) and 1 Offensive Player of the Year (1982 Marcus Allen), 2 AFL Player of the Year Awards (1967 and 1969 Daryle Lamonica), 1 Defensive Player of the Year Award (1980 Lester Hayes) 2 Offensive Player of the Year Awards (1974 Kenny Stabler and 1985 Marcus Allen)
The Raiders have no retired jerseys.
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