When you walk into Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, the vibe is unmistakable. It’s loud, it’s dark, and there’s this heavy sense of history hanging over the field. For a team that has moved around as much as a touring rock band—Oakland to LA, back to Oakland, and now the desert—the one thing that stays constant is the "Commitment to Excellence." But if you’re asking how many Super Bowls do Raiders have, you’re probably looking for more than just a number. You're looking for the story of a franchise that, for a solid decade or two, was the absolute baddest team on the planet.
Honestly, the answer is three. They have three Lombardi Trophies.
But saying "three" is like saying the Mona Lisa is "a painting." It doesn't really cover the sheer dominance of the John Madden era or the "Black Sunday" slaughter that happened in the 80s. Those three wins (XI, XV, and XVIII) define a specific era of football where the Raiders weren't just winning; they were intimidating the entire league into submission.
The First One: Breaking the Curse in Super Bowl XI
By the time 1976 rolled around, the Raiders were tired of being the "almost" team. They had lost so many AFC Championship games it was becoming a joke. John Madden, with his wild hair and frantic energy on the sidelines, finally got them over the hump.
On January 9, 1977, they faced the Minnesota Vikings.
The Rose Bowl was packed with over 100,000 people. The Raiders didn't just win; they physically dismantled Minnesota. Wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff, who wasn't exactly the fastest guy on the field but had hands like glue, was named MVP. He didn't even score a touchdown, but he kept catching the ball inside the 2-yard line to set everyone else up.
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One of the most iconic moments in NFL history happened in this game. Willie Brown, the legendary cornerback, intercepted a Fran Tarkenton pass and ran it back 75 yards for a touchdown. The image of Old Man Willie sprinting down the sideline is burned into the brain of every Silver and Black fan. Final score: 32–14.
How Many Super Bowls Do Raiders Have? The Wild Card Miracle
If you ask a Raiders fan about 1980, they’ll probably get a little misty-eyed. This was the year of the "Wild Card." Back then, nobody expected a team that didn't win its division to go all the way. It just didn't happen.
Enter Jim Plunkett.
He was a quarterback who had basically been written off by the rest of the league. But under coach Tom Flores—the first Hispanic head coach to win a Super Bowl—Plunkett found his groove. They met the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XV in New Orleans.
Plunkett threw three touchdowns and looked like a totally different player than the guy who had struggled in New England and San Francisco. Linebacker Rod Martin also had a day, snagging three interceptions, which is still a Super Bowl record. They won 27–10. This win was huge because it proved the Raiders' "misfit" culture—taking players other teams didn't want—could actually result in a championship.
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Black Sunday and the LA Era
The third win is the one that really cemented the Raiders' "villain" status. By 1983, the team had moved to Los Angeles. They were flashy, they were mean, and they were very, very good.
They faced the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII in January 1984.
The Redskins were the defending champs. They were the favorites. People thought they would steamroll the Raiders. Instead, it was a bloodbath.
Marcus Allen happened.
He rushed for 191 yards, including a 74-yard touchdown run that is widely considered one of the greatest plays in the history of the sport. He reversed field, outran the entire Washington defense, and glided into the end zone. The Raiders won 38–9. This was the peak of the Al Davis era. "Just win, baby" wasn't just a slogan; it was a reality.
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The Ones That Got Away
You can't talk about how many Super Bowls do Raiders have without mentioning the times they came close but fell short. They've actually appeared in five Super Bowls total.
- Super Bowl II: They ran into the Green Bay Packers dynasty. Vince Lombardi was at the helm, and the Raiders were still an AFL team trying to prove they belonged. They lost 33–14.
- Super Bowl XXXVII: This one still stings for most fans. It was 2003. The Raiders were facing their former coach, Jon Gruden, who was now leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gruden knew the Raiders' playbook inside and out. It showed. The Bucs' defense intercepted Rich Gannon five times, and the Raiders lost 48–21.
Why the Number Three Still Matters Today
It's been a long time since 1984. Over 40 years, actually. For younger fans in Las Vegas, the Super Bowl wins feel like ancient history, something you see on grainy NFL Films highlights. But for the organization, those three trophies are the standard.
When you look at the landscape of the AFC West, the Raiders are in a tough spot. The Chiefs are a modern-day juggernaut. The Broncos have their own history. But the Raiders' three rings put them in elite company. Only a handful of franchises have more.
If you're looking to dive deeper into the legacy of the Silver and Black, here are a few things you can do to truly appreciate that history:
- Watch "Full Circle": Look up NFL Films’ documentaries on the 1976 or 1983 teams. Seeing the hits these guys took—and gave—is eye-opening compared to today’s game.
- Visit the Hall of Fame: If you’re ever in Canton, Ohio, check out the Raiders' section. With legends like Al Davis, John Madden, Marcus Allen, and Ken Stabler, their footprint on the game is massive.
- Check the Stats: Look at Jim Plunkett’s postseason run in 1980. It remains one of the most underrated stretches by a quarterback in NFL history.
The Raiders might be in a different city now, but those three Super Bowl wins are the foundation of everything they do. Whether they can add a fourth in the Las Vegas era is the question every fan is waiting to see answered.