5 Greatest Players in the History of the Las Vegas Raiders

Al Davis often spoke about the greatness of the Raiders during his lifetime. Players and coaches come and go, but it was always his vision to build what he termed to be “the finest organization in professional sports.” In the history of the team, there have been definitive legends that paved the way for some of the great players on the team today.

Everybody has their own list of who they believe to be the definitive greatest players in the history of the Raiders. Is there really a wrong list? Unless you have a list that includes names such as Kyle Boller, Javon Walker, or Jamarcus Russell, then your definitive list has merit. This list will go over the players who are the most synonymous with the Raiders—the players who definitively defined the phrase “Commitment to Excellence” throughout their time with the team.

5. Howie Long

Years with the team: 1981-1993

While the Raiders have had some great defensive linemen in their history, the undeniable GOAT has to be Howie Long. Greg Townsend is the all-time leading sack leader for the franchise with 107.5. However, the undisputed leader of the defensive line was Long. Long was an absolute game changer, demanding double teams and lining up everywhere along the line of scrimmage. The Raiders had some great defensive lines during that time period, with Townsend, Bill Pickel, Lyle Alzado, Bob Golic, and Chester McGlockton all lining up alongside Long at different points. Without “The Caveman” drawing most of the attention from blockers, those guys likely wouldn’t have produced the way that they did for the Raiders.

No defensive lineman personified what it meant to be a Raider even more so than Howie Long. Even though fans today might recognize him more for his longtime career on television, buddying up with the likes of Terry Bradshaw, it can’t be understated the amazing impact that Long had as a player. It’s likely a big reason why Al Davis attempted to get him to come out of retirement after he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000.

Long retired early by a lot of people’s standards. He didn’t want to be known as a player who retired a year too late, something that goes underappreciated in a lot of circles. He was a Pro Bowler eight times in his career and a Super Bowl Champion in 1984, in addition to being an All-Pro in 1984 and 1985. He finished his career with 91.5 sacks in 179 games, all coming with the Raiders.

4. Charles Woodson

Years with the team: 1998-2005, 2013-2015

Charles Woodson had a Hall of Fame career with two teams. Not many guys in the NFL can boast a resume where if you split their careers up, they could’ve made the Hall of Fame regardless. “CWood” spent the first half of his career as arguably the best cornerback in the NFL when he joined the Raiders in 1998 as a rookie. The only man to win a Heisman Trophy as a primarily defensive player; for years he locked down everybody he lined up against. It didn’t matter if you were Marvin Harrison, Randy Moss, or Rod Smith. The man managed to help create an even bigger legacy for the number 24 in Raiders lore.

After being let go by the Raiders, his career could’ve ended right there, and he would still have been known as one of the premier cornerbacks in NFL history, although it would likely be with a legacy closer to somebody like Nnamdi Asmougha. However, Woodson won a Super Bowl and a Defensive Player of the Year award with the Green Bay Packers. He had a Hall of Fame level career with both teams and is one of the few players of all time who could be considered a definitive starting player on an all-time team for multiple franchises.

Upon his return as a free safety to the Raiders in 2013, times were tough. The team hadn’t had a winning season in 10 seasons up to that point and wouldn’t have one again until 2016. However, the foundation arguably was laid by Woodson. He mentored the young Raiders team that took the league by storm in 2016, featuring players like future Hall of Fame edge rusher Khalil Mack and quarterback Derek Carr. Woodson transitioned from a young superstar to the perfect mentor and became one of the most definitive players in the history of the Raiders as a result.

3. Tim Brown

Years with the team: 1988-2003

The all-time leading receiver in Raiders history, Tim Brown, was another former Heisman Trophy winner Al Davis brought in to help lead the team. While Jerry Rice was over in San Francisco leading the 49ers to Super Bowls and setting every receiving record in NFL history with Steve Young and Joe Montana throwing him the football, Tim Brown had to rely on quarterbacks such as Billy Joe Hobert and Donald Hollas to sling him the football. Brown caught a pass from 19 different quarterbacks in his career, something that can’t be understated.

Through the highs and lows of the 90s through the early 2000s, there were two things that were always consistent with the Raiders; Al Davis was the man in charge upstairs, and Tim Brown was good for 1,000 yards receiving for the season no matter who was at quarterback or whoever was coaching the team. Brown is the definitive Raiders wide receiver in an organization that has featured legends such as Cliff Branch and Fred Bilentnikoff.

Brown managed to lead the league with 104 catches in 1997 with Jeff George at quarterback, arguably his best individual season. Brown was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and also an extremely prolific return man. With the Raiders, Brown had 1,070 catches for 14,734 yards and 99 touchdowns. He had one year in Tampa Bay, where he famously caught his 100th and final career touchdown in Oakland against the Raiders during a 30-20 Raiders win and received a standing ovation from the Raider Nation. “Mr. Raider,” as he is affectionately known, will go down as one of the definitive cornerstones of this great franchise.

2. Ken Stabler

Years with the team: 1968-1979

A legitimate argument could be made for several players to make the top five, particularly from the quarterback position. Derek Carr holds all the individual passing records and spent nine seasons as the leader of the team. His career record might be 63-79, but a lot of that was due to issues that no quarterback is going to overcome. Jim Plunkett won 2 Super Bowls, Comeback Player of the Year in 1980, and Super Bowl MVP. Daryle Lamonica, “The Mad Bomber” was an AFL MVP, 1967 AFL Champion, led the Raiders to Super Bowl 2, and became the prototype quarterback that Al Davis spent the next several decades attempting to find and replicate.

Lamonica’s immediate successor is the definitive quarterback in the history of the Raiders and has a legitimate argument for being the greatest left-handed quarterback in NFL History. “Snake” Ken Stabler was as cool as the other side of the pillow. He was one of the most clutch quarterbacks in NFL History, with NFL Films ranking him sixth all-time. John Madden loved to say that if he had one drive to go down and win a game out of every quarterback in NFL history, he would’ve gone with Stabler.

He was not Al Davis’ ideal quarterback, given his weaker arm in comparison to Lamonica. Stabler actually left the team after being drafted in 1968, then spent the next two years rehabbing a knee injury before officially joining the team in 1970 behind Lamonica and Hall of Famer George Blanda. However, he personified what it meant to be a Raider on and off the field, with a life more colorful than a Picasso painting. All of Davis’ favorite slogans about winning and excellence fit Stabler perfectly. When you think of the Raiders of the 70s, the definitive face of those dominant teams is Kenny Stabler.

The 1974 NFL MVP, he was also an Offensive Player of the Year award winner. He led the Raiders to a division title every season from 1973 through 1977, making at least the AFC Championship Game in every one of those seasons as well. He led the Raiders to their first Super Bowl win in 1977 against the Minnesota Vikings. Stabler tragically passed from cancer in 2015. His memory and his spirit will live on forever in the Hall of Fame, which he was posthumously inducted into in 2016.

1. Jim Otto

Years with the team: 1960-1975

When you look up what it means to be a Raider in the dictionary, you get a picture of Jim Otto. Otto predated even Al Davis in joining the team. Nobody snapped the ball other than Jim Otto for the first 15 years of the team’s existence. NFL Films ranked him as the 63rd greatest player in NFL history in 2010. He was as tough as they come, playing in 308 straight games.

The center position is far from the most flashy position in the league. Other teams like the Chargers can certainly boast of having a skill position player LT as their greatest player.

Otto however, is the definitive Raider. With a rusted bent-up bucket on his head, the classic neck roll, and a double-bar face mask that provided little protection, Otto was arguably the toughest man to ever play for the team. The Raiders during Otto’s career managed to go from the dregs of 1-13 to the heights of Super Bowl 2. Alongside Hall of Famers Gene Upshaw, Art Shell, and Bob Brown, Otto sat in the middle of perhaps the greatest offensive line in NFL history.

Otto is to this day committed to the Raiders. When he had his leg amputated, he had it replaced with an artificial limb decorated with the Raiders shield. For decades after his retirement, you’d usually see Otto right next to Al Davis in a suite at Raiders games. Even now, Otto still makes trips to Las Vegas to see the team practice or visit with Mark Davis. It’s hard not to think of a man like Jim Otto when you think about the greatness of the Raiders.