Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]While fans of the Oakland Raiders remain loyal through thick and thin, many have been expressing extreme frustration with another disappointing season.
2012 somehow seems infinitely worse than even the last few. If it feels like it’s been awhile since the team has truly had a great quarterback, that’s because it has. It’s hard to believe that their last Super Bowl victory was nearly three decades ago now, although their last appearance was in 2002, but there is no doubt that the wins seem to be fewer and farther between.
Part of the issue is certainly at quarterback, although 2012 came packed with so many problems that even the best probably couldn’t have saved the day. Late in the season, third-string quarterback Terrelle Pryor certainly showed quite a bit of promise, and I believe he has the heart and desire to want to be great, but he still has a long way to go to get there.
Will the Silver and Black ever have a legendary quarterback again? As a life-long fan, I must have faith that they will, and hope that it will be in my lifetime!
In the meantime, here is a look back at three of their greatest in history. Keep in mind that this list is very subjective. It just happens to be my favorite three Raiders quarterbacks. Your list may be different, but if you’re a Raiders fan, I think we can all agree that one of the best things about being a fan is the camaraderie within the Raider Nation unlike anything else in the NFL.
Jim Plunkett
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George Rose/Getty Images[/caption]The only quarterback to start and win two Super Bowls, in addition to being a Heisman Trophy winner and not be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is Jim Plunkett.
This is one of the biggest injustices in football history. He’s most certainly deserving of the honor, but when speaking with the man himself last year, he was obviously very appreciative of his career and rather nonchalant about the situation, despite the frustration that fans feel.
He remarked, “If I don’t get in, I don’t get in.”
The Raiders late owner Al Davis had this to say about Plunkett: “He has to be one of the great comeback stories of our time.”
Ken Stabler
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USA TODAY Sports[/caption]Stabler was a winner, helping the Raiders capture their first Super Bowl title and leading them to the conference championship five times. From 1970-79, he started in 130 games and scored 150 touchdowns.
In 146 career starts, his teams had a record of 96-49-1. He’s also been snubbed for the Hall of Fame, but the rebel is still a legend in the eyes of not just Silver and Black fans, but of most NFL fans.
Rich Gannon
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Michael Maloney/San Francisco Chronicle[/caption]The great Daryle Lamonica is certainly a legendary Raiders quarterback, but on my list of the top three, I include Rich Gannon, the Raiders last great quarterback. He led the team from 1999-2004 and took them to the Super Bowl at the end of the 2002 season as well as their third consecutive AFC West division title.
Gannon was also the NFL MVP that year and a true, dedicated leader, even showing up before sunrise with former head coach Jon Gruden at the Alameda County offices every morning to study plays.
