The Silver and Black. Just the name alone brings up images of eye patches, mud-stained jerseys, and Al Davis pacing the sidelines like a restless phantom. But if you really want to talk about the soul of this franchise, you have to talk about the guys under center. Honestly, looking at the list of Raiders qbs all time, it’s a weird, beautiful mess of Hall of Famers, absolute busts, and guys who were basically discarded by the rest of the league before finding magic in Oakland or LA.
You’ve got the stats guys who never won the big one, and then you’ve got the legends who barely completed 50% of their passes but somehow willed the team to Lombardi trophies. It’s not just about the numbers. It's about the "Commitment to Excellence" (even when the play on the field was anything but excellent).
The Snake, The Bomber, and The Ghost of Al Davis
Most fans immediately jump to Ken "The Snake" Stabler when they think of the greatest. And yeah, they’re probably right. Stabler wasn't just a quarterback; he was a mood. He threw 150 touchdowns for the Raiders and led them to their first Super Bowl title (SB XI). But here is the thing: he also threw 143 interceptions. In today's NFL, he'd be benched by Week 4. Back then? He was a God. He’s the gold standard because he embodied the "just win, baby" mantra before it was a marketing slogan.
Then there’s Daryle Lamonica. They called him "The Mad Bomber" for a reason. Basically, if the ball wasn't traveling 40 yards through the air, Lamonica probably wasn't interested. He won two AFL MVPs and had a winning percentage as a starter that would make Patrick Mahomes blush. He went 62-16-6 as a Raider. Think about that. The guy rarely lost, mostly because he was busy airing it out to guys like Fred Biletnikoff and Cliff Branch.
Why Jim Plunkett is the Ultimate Raiders Story
If you want to understand the Raiders' DNA, look at Jim Plunkett. By 1980, the league had essentially given up on him. He was a former number-one pick who looked like a bust. Then, Dan Pastorini goes down with an injury, and Plunkett steps in. He doesn't just "fill in"—he leads them to a Super Bowl win as a Wild Card team.
He did it again in 1983. Two rings. Zero Hall of Fame busts.
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It’s one of the biggest debates in football: why isn't Plunkett in Canton? He’s the only eligible QB with two rings as a starter who hasn't been inducted. He wasn't a stat-stuffer. His career completion percentage with the Raiders was 56.2%. But in the playoffs? The guy was nails.
The Derek Carr Era: Stats vs. Success
This is where the fan base gets divided. If you look at the record books, Derek Carr is the king. He’s the franchise leader in basically every passing category that matters:
- Passing Yards: 35,222
- Passing Touchdowns: 217
- Completions: 3,201
Carr spent nine seasons (2014-2022) trying to stabilize a franchise that was constantly moving or changing coaches. He was accurate, he was a leader, and he was arguably the most talented pure passer to ever wear the jersey. But the wins? They weren't always there. A 63-79 record is a tough pill to swallow for a fan base raised on Stabler and Lamonica.
Is it fair to blame Carr for a defense that couldn't stop a nosebleed for a decade? Probably not. But in the world of the Raiders, you're judged by the jewelry.
Rich Gannon and the Last Great Peak
Before the "dark ages" of the mid-2000s, there was Rich Gannon. Honestly, Gannon’s run from 1999 to 2002 was one of the most efficient stretches of quarterbacking in NFL history. He was the 2002 NFL MVP. He threw for 4,689 yards that year. He was 37 years old and playing like he was 24.
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The tragedy of the Gannon era is, of course, Super Bowl XXXVII. Five interceptions against his former coach, Jon Gruden. It was a brutal end to a brilliant run, and the franchise didn't really recover for nearly 15 years.
The Weird, The Wild, and The Forgettable
We can't talk about Raiders qbs all time without mentioning George Blanda. The man was 43 years old in 1970 when he had a five-week stretch where he basically won every game with either a last-second touchdown pass or a field goal. He was a kicker and a quarterback. He's a legend because he was basically an old guy at the park beating everyone's kids at basketball.
And then... there’s the JaMarcus Russell of it all. 2007. The first overall pick. The huge arm. The total lack of preparation. He is the cautionary tale that reminds every Raiders fan that "potential" is a dangerous word. He finished his Raiders career with 18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. It was a dark time.
Assessing the Legacy
When you look at the full list, it's a spectrum of styles.
Tom Flores was the first Latino starting QB and later won two Super Bowls as a coach. Jeff Hostetler came over from the Giants and provided some much-needed grit in the 90s. Jay Schroeder had a cannon but couldn't always find his own players.
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The Raiders have always been a place for "misfit toys." Whether it was Plunkett or Gannon or even the recent bridge starters like Gardner Minshew, the Silver and Black has a way of taking guys the rest of the league didn't want and giving them a stage.
Ranking the Top 5 Raiders QBs (The Real List)
- Ken Stabler: The soul of the 70s. The ring. The swagger.
- Jim Plunkett: Two rings. You can't argue with the hardware.
- Rich Gannon: The peak performance. An MVP season that remains the franchise's best individual year.
- Daryle Lamonica: The winningest QB in team history by percentage. The "Mad Bomber" defined the deep-threat identity.
- Derek Carr: The longevity and the records. He might lack the ring, but he carried the team through its most chaotic era.
What's Next for the Raiders?
If you're looking to dive deeper into the history of these legends, the best move is to check out the Raiders' official Hall of Fame archives or watch some of the old NFL Films "A Football Life" episodes on Stabler and Plunkett. The game has changed—there's more passing and less hitting—but the expectations in Vegas remain exactly what they were in Oakland: find a guy who can lead a group of outlaws to a title.
To truly understand why these names matter, look for old game tape of the 1976 AFC Championship or the "Sea of Hands" game. It’ll tell you more about the Raider way than any stat sheet ever could.
Go find those old highlights of the "Mad Bomber" and watch how the ball used to travel. It’s a different world.