If you want to understand the Raiders, you have to look at the guys under center. It’s never been just about throwing a spiral or reading a blitz in this organization. Since the 1960s, the history of Raiders quarterbacks has been a wild, often chaotic reflection of the franchise itself: rebellious, occasionally brilliant, and frequently completely unpredictable.
Honestly, the Raiders don't do "traditional." While other teams were looking for the clean-cut kid from a Big Ten school, Al Davis was busy hunting for the cast-offs, the vertical-threat "Mad Bombers," and the guys with a bit too much grit for the rest of the NFL to handle.
The Birth of the Mad Bomber Era
The story doesn't start with a slow build. It starts with Daryle Lamonica. They called him the "Mad Bomber" for a reason. Basically, if there was a receiver even remotely streaking down the field, Lamonica was going to let it fly. He didn't care about "safe" intermediate routes. Between 1967 and 1970, he was a force of nature, leading the AFL in touchdown passes twice and taking the Raiders to Super Bowl II.
Then you had George Blanda. Imagine a guy today playing quarterback and kicking field goals at age 43. It sounds fake, right? But in 1970, Blanda came off the bench repeatedly to save games with his arm and his leg, earning MVP honors along the way. It was peak Raiders—weird, effective, and totally defiant of logic.
Ken Stabler: The Left-Handed Icon
If you ask any old-school fan about the heart of the history of Raiders quarterbacks, they’re going to talk about "The Snake." Ken Stabler was the quintessential Raider. He was a left-handed, long-haired, bar-frequenting legend who somehow had the most precise touch in the league.
Stabler didn't just play; he survived. He led the team to five straight AFC Championship games from 1973 to 1977. Think about that level of consistency. The peak, of course, was Super Bowl XI. Stabler dismantled the Vikings' "Purple People Eaters" defense, proving that you could live fast off the field and still be clinical on it. He ended his Raiders tenure with 150 touchdowns and a permanent spot in the hearts of the Black Hole.
📖 Related: NFL Football Teams in Order: Why Most Fans Get the Hierarchy Wrong
The Jim Plunkett Redemption Arc
By 1980, the Raiders were in a weird spot. Stabler was gone. Dan Pastorini was the new guy, but he went down with a broken leg in Week 5. Enter Jim Plunkett. At that point, Plunkett was considered a massive draft bust. He’d struggled in New England and San Francisco, and most people thought his career was basically over.
What happened next is one of the greatest "second acts" in sports history. Plunkett didn't just fill in; he caught fire. He led the Raiders to a victory in Super Bowl XV as a Wild Card team—the first time that had ever happened. Then, he did it again in Super Bowl XVIII against Washington. He’s the only quarterback with two Super Bowl rings as a starter who isn’t in the Hall of Fame, which is a conversation that still gets Raiders fans heated today.
Rich Gannon and the West Coast Pivot
The late 90s were... rough. You had names like Jeff Hostetler and Jeff George, guys who had talent but couldn't quite get the engine over the hill. Then Jon Gruden arrived and brought in Rich Gannon.
Gannon was a journeyman. He was 34 years old when he really took off. But in the Raiders' version of the West Coast offense, he became a surgeon. Between 1999 and 2002, Gannon was arguably the best quarterback in football.
- 2002 MVP Season: Gannon threw for 4,689 yards.
- Efficiency: He led the league in completions and attempts that year.
- The Downfall: It ended brutally in Super Bowl XXXVII against his former coach, but Gannon's four-year run remains the most statistically dominant stretch in the history of Raiders quarterbacks.
The Dark Ages: From JaMarcus to the Desert
After Gannon’s neck injury in 2004, the franchise entered a decade of absolute quarterback purgatory. We’re talking about 18 different starters in 12 seasons. It was a revolving door of "what-ifs" and "why-the-heck-nots."
👉 See also: Why Your 1 Arm Pull Up Progression Isn't Working (And How to Fix It)
The lowest point? JaMarcus Russell. Taken No. 1 overall in 2007, he had a literal cannon for an arm but seemingly zero interest in the professional side of the game. He’s widely cited as the biggest bust in NFL history. Then came the "patch-job" era:
- Aaron Brooks
- Daunte Culpepper
- Jason Campbell
- Carson Palmer (who they traded a mountain of picks for in a panic move)
It felt like the Raiders were cursed. Every time they found a spark, like Campbell in 2011, an injury or a front-office meltdown snuffed it out.
The Derek Carr Era: Stability and Stats
In 2014, the Raiders drafted Derek Carr in the second round. For the next nine years, he was the face of the franchise. Carr is a polarizing figure for fans, but the numbers don't lie. He owns almost every major passing record in team history:
- Passing Yards: 35,222
- Passing Touchdowns: 217
- Completions: 3,201
He survived coaching changes, the move from Oakland to Las Vegas, and a revolving door of wide receivers. He led the team to the playoffs in 2016 (before a heartbreaking broken leg ended his season) and again in 2021 amid total organizational chaos. His departure in early 2023 marked the end of the longest period of QB stability the team had seen since the 70s.
Where Things Stand Now (2024–2026)
Following Carr, the Raiders went back to their old ways of mixing veterans with young hopefuls. Jimmy Garoppolo was a short-lived experiment that failed due to injuries and a lack of chemistry. Aidan O'Connell, a fourth-round pick, showed some serious guts in 2023, but the team still felt the need to bring in competition like Gardner Minshew.
✨ Don't miss: El Salvador partido de hoy: Why La Selecta is at a Critical Turning Point
In 2025, the team took a flyer on Geno Smith, who provided some veteran stability but couldn't quite reclaim the magic of his Seattle years. As of the 2026 season, the room is led by Kenny Pickett, who is trying to prove he can be more than a backup in this league. It's a classic Raiders situation—searching for that one guy who can handle the pressure of the Silver and Black.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you're looking to really dive into the history of Raiders quarterbacks, don't just look at the stat sheets. Look at the context.
- Watch the Tape: Look for "Sea of Hands" (Stabler) or the 2002 AFC Championship (Gannon) to see the different styles of winning.
- Understand the "Raider Way": The team historically prizes arm strength and verticality over short-game efficiency, which explains why certain "accurate" QBs have struggled there.
- Track the Draft: The Raiders' biggest successes (Stabler, Lamonica via trade, Carr) often come when they stick with a guy for more than three years. The "quick fix" trades for veterans (Palmer, Garoppolo) almost always backfire.
To truly appreciate the Raiders, you have to embrace the volatility. It’s a lineage of gunslingers, comeback kids, and occasional disasters. But it’s never, ever boring.
Next Steps to Deepen Your Knowledge:
- Analyze the 1980 Playoff Run: Study how Tom Flores adjusted the offense for Jim Plunkett mid-season to understand why he succeeded where others failed.
- Compare Career AV (Approximate Value): Use Pro-Football-Reference to compare Ken Stabler and Derek Carr’s impact relative to their eras to settle the "Greatest Raider QB" debate.
- Audit the 2000s QB Carousel: List every starter between 2003 and 2013 to see how coaching turnover directly correlates with poor quarterback performance.