Arizona Cardinals

Top 15 Quarterbacks In Oakland Raiders History

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:23 p.m. ET

Fansided, Gil Alcaraz IV/FanSided via Just Blog Baby

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Who are some of the Oakland Raiders’ greatest quarterbacks of all time, and where do they rank on a list of the team’s 15 best?

As you may know, the Oakland Raiders have had some outstanding quarterbacks over the years. While the franchise has also had some horrid gunslingers, the list of quality signal callers is definitely long enough to compile a Top 15.

So that’s what we’re doing here–breaking down the 15 best quarterbacks to ever don the Silver and Black.

We all know the big names such as Jim Plunkett and Ken Stabler. We’ve seen a rising star emerge in recent years with the dominance of Derek Carr. That, however, doesn’t mean we’re completely clear on where they rank in terms of the best Raiders quarterbacks all of time.

Luckily for you, I’ve put together said ranking. Taking many things such as statistics, Super Bowl wins, overall impact on the franchise, and career success on other teams into consideration, I’ve ordered the 15 greatest arms to ever start for this team. And yes, that includes a guy who only actually started one game for the Raiders.

So here it is–what you came here to see. My interpretation of the 15 greatest Raiders quarterbacks of all time.

15. Kerry Collins

Overall Record with Raiders: 7-21

Career Stats with Raiders: 7,254 passing yards, 41 touchdowns, 32 interceptions, 54.8 completion percentage, 76.1 passer rating

I’ll admit Kerry Collins wasn’t a huge success during his time with the Silver and Black. The 7-21 record is uninspiring to say the least, especially considering Collins followed Rich Gannon as the Raiders’ starter.

However, he earned a spot on this list due to his overall effectiveness as an NFL quarterback during his 18-year career. Collins was never a star, but he was a reliable starter who could keep a decent offense afloat. It may not seem that way, but it’s more difficult to find a quarterback capable of that then you’d think.

In general, Collins was a free agency bust for the Raiders. After signing an overpriced deal, he stepped in and struggled to put Oakland in the win column. It was only two seasons before the Raiders decided to pull the plug, although the aforementioned inflated salary likely played a significant part in that move.

Collins wasn’t great during his time as a part of Raider Nation. However, he was a quality quarterback in general and deserves recognition for his short time on the roster.

14. Vince Evans

Overall Record with Raiders: 2-5

Career Stats with Raiders: 3,313 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, 21 interceptions, 54.9 completion percentage, 75.4 passer rating

Was Vince Evans a star for the Raiders? Of course not. Did he win many games or bring some sort of added value to the franchise? Not really. What Evans did do, though, was provide the team with a quality backup for eight years.

There’s a lot to say for having a good backup. While that may ring truer for today’s NFL, it’s always been a point of emphasis no matter the decade. Evans was exactly that, backing up players such as Jeff Hostetler and Marc Wilson during his days with Los Angeles (seven years)/Oakland (one year).

Even before he landed with the Raiders, Evans was a solid quarterback for the Chicago Bears. He also spent a couple of years in the USFL, which extended his professional football career to a total of 20 seasons.

Not many folks will know who he is, and that’s perfectly understandable. However, when you consider the value he brought as a decent backup, he deserves to be on this list–it’s not like the Raiders have had a ton of star quarterbacks in their history anyway.

13. Jason Campbell

Overall Record with Raiders: 11-7

Career Stats with Raiders: 3,557 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 59.5 completion percentage, 84.4 passer rating

It seems strange how short Jason Campbell’s time with the Raiders was. The team spent a fourth-round pick to acquire him from the Washington Redskins, who had previously drafted him out of Auburn in the first round.

After taking over as the starter, Campbell fared well for Oakland. Although not the star you’d expect out of a former Day 1 selection, he was more than capable of keeping the Raiders offense running efficiently. As you can tell by his 11-7 record, he was far from a failure under center.

However, a broken collarbone during his second season in Oakland led the Raiders to go out and acquire Carson Palmer via trade. That essentially ended Campbell’s time with the team after only 18 games.

When he was healthy, Campbell was a standout quarterback for the Raiders. While not one of the franchise’s more memorable passers, he absolutely deserves a place on this list due to his effectiveness at the helm in Oakland.

Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

12. Carson Palmer

Overall Record with Raiders: 8-16

Career Stats with Raiders: 6,771 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, 30 interceptions, 60.9 completion percentage, 83.5 passer rating

Again, this is a situation where the player landed on this list largely due to his entire body work. Carson Palmer was relatively unimpressive during his days in Oakland, but has since turned his career around as the starter for the Arizona Cardinals.

What the Raiders gave up for Palmer doesn’t help either. After losing Campbell to injury, then-head coach Hue Jackson made a desperate attempt to fix the quarterback position. A deal was worked out with the Cincinnati Bengals to swap a first-round pick and a conditional second-round pick for Palmer.

For the most part, Palmer held his own initially as Oakland’s starter. However, during his second season as the starter, there were several games where his performance directly impacted the outcome. The resulting 4-12 record didn’t bode well for him, resulting in him being shipped away to the Cardinals for a sixth-round pick and a conditional pick.

Palmer turned out to be a great NFL quarterback after a bumpy start to his career. While he didn’t shine for the Raiders, his career as a whole earned him a spot on this list. Again, it’s not like the franchise had an abundance of stars to choose from.

11. Jay Schroeder

Overall Record with Raiders: 32-25

Career Stats with Raiders:10,276 passing yards, 66 touchdowns, 62 interceptions, 50.1 completion percentage, 71.8 passer rating

After a three-year stint with the Washington Redskins, Schroeder enjoyed five seasons as the Raiders’ primary starting quarterback. While he was never a star by any means, he did his fair share to stand out while under center.

Schroeder put together a couple of strong seasons in Los Angeles, including a 12-win campaign in 1990 that ended in a crushing defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship. While most remember that game for the five interceptions Schroeder threw, the Raiders wouldn’t have been there if it wasn’t for his impressive regular-season performance.

He followed that year up with another strong showing, but could never rediscover the skills he displayed throughout the 1990 season. By 1992, the Raiders had moved on to Jeff Hostetler as their starting quarterback.

While never an excellent arm by any means, Schroeder led the Raiders to a couple of quality seasons and a trip to the AFC title game. As embarrassing as a 51-3 loss on the cusp of a Super Bowl is, it still earns you some credit in my book.

10. Marc Wilson

Overall Record with Raiders: 31-19

Career Stats with Raiders: 11,760 passing yards, 77 touchdowns, 86 interceptions, 52.3 completion percentage, 69 passer rating

When you look at the stats, Marc Wilson was never all that impressive of an NFL quarterback. Despite being a first-round pick, it took a few years for him to see a decent amount of starts for the Raiders. Even when that time came, he often ceded his role to the aging Jim Plunkett.

Still, Wilson is worth a mention. We can’t ignore the fact that he did win two Super Bowls with the Raiders (as a backup), and was under center for a couple of the team’s stronger seasons in the mid-80s.

It’s true that Wilson struggled at times to protect the football, and never really proved to be much more than a solid backup and occasional spot starter. However, even with that being the case, he made his mark on the Raiders franchise with his ability to step in and keep the offense afloat.

Wilson had a much better collegiate career at BYU than he did with the Raiders. When it all comes down to it, though, you can’t deny that he contributed to some of Oakland’s most successful years and delivered a few big-time performances in the early years of his NFL career.

9. Jeff George

Overall Record with Raiders: 7-16

Career Stats with Raiders: 5,103 passing yards, 33 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, 55.5 completion percentage, 86.6 passer rating

For the most part, Jeff George was an exceptional NFL quarterback during his 11-year career. There were some ups and downs for the 1990 No. 1 overall pick, but he held his own for the most part.

Especially with the Raiders, George played some outstanding football. It didn’t always help Oakland win, but there weren’t many games during which he disappointed on the stat sheet. During his first season with the team, he led the league in passing yards–beating out legends like Brett Favre, Dan Marino and Warren Moon for the designation.

It’s even more impressive when you consider he led the league in sacks taken that year, and still managed a 29:9 touchdown-to-interception ratio. If only Oakland hadn’t finished the season with a miserable 4-12 record.

Things fell apart in Year 2 between an injury and schematic differences, leading the Raiders to sign Rich Gannon the next year. It wasn’t all sunshine and daisies during his stay in Oakland, but George was still a significant piece of the puzzle in terms of the franchise’s history at quarterback.

8. Jeff Hostetler

Overall Record with Raiders: 33-22

Career Stats with Raiders: 11,122 passing yards, 69 touchdowns, 49 interceptions, 58.5 completion percentage, 82.1 passer rating

Hostetler is an easy name to forget among the better quarterbacks the Raiders have ever started. He only spent four seasons with the team, including their transition years from Los Angeles back to Oakland.

In that short time, though, Hostetler did plenty of damage quarterbacking for the Raiders.

Prior to landing with the Silver and Black, Hostetler spent seven years with the New York Giants. During that time, he was a part of two Super Bowl teams and played well when called upon, although much of his time was spent as a backup. After landing in Los Angeles, things turned around for him.

With the Raiders, Hostetler earned his first and only Pro Bowl appearance. He also put together a good campaign in 1993, including an impressive playoff win. In 1995, though, things went downhill following an injury.

Hostetler wasn’t with the team long, but he didn’t need long to make his mark. Between the stats, Pro Bowl appearance and proven ability to win, he seemed like a solid selection for the No. 8 spot.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

7. Tom Flores

Overall Record with Raiders: 30-30-3

Career Stats with Raiders:11,635 passing yards, 92 touchdowns, 83 interceptions, 49.4 completion percentage, 70.4 passer rating

Realistically, Tom Flores wasn’t an amazing quarterback. He finished his Raiders career with the same amount of losses as wins, and his stats were unspectacular. Still, there are a couple of key points that have earned him a lot of respect in the eyes of this franchise.

First, Flores was the main starting quarterback for Oakland’s inaugural season in 1960. After a couple of failed attempts to enter professional football, he got his big break with the Raiders and never looked back. Although he was eventually traded away to the Buffalo Bills, Flores served as the starter for six seasons and more than held his own.

Second, Flores also served as head coach of the Raiders from 1979 to 1987. During that time, he secured two Super Bowl wins–one with the Oakland Raiders and one with the Los Angeles Raiders. He became the first person in NFL history to win a Super Bowl as a player (with the Kansas City Chiefs), an assistant coach (with the Raiders) and a head coach.

As you can see by the stats above, Flores was a serviceable starter and not much more. But the impact he made on the franchise as a player and coach more than earned him a spot on this list.

6. George Blanda

Overall Record with Raiders: 1-0

Career Stats with Raiders: 1,835 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, 18 interceptions, 50.6 completion percentage, 77.5 passer rating

It seems strange to see George Blanda near the top of this list considering his stats, right? I mean, the guy only started one game during his time with the Raiders. However, there’s a lot to like about the oldest player in NFL history, and that includes his abilities as a quarterback.

A quarterback/kicker combo and eventual Hall of Famer, Blanda joined the Raiders primarily to boot field goals. He spent several seasons with the Chicago Bears and Houston Oilers slinging a football prior to that. However, when the opportunities arose, Oakland called on him to make plays with his arm instead of his leg.

While his stats as a Raider won’t blow anyone away, he often stepped up in the clutch. On several occasions, he took over for an injured/slumping Daryle Lamonica and helped Oakland earn the W. If you’re not convinced, just look at the 1970 season during which he had a wild run of success for the Raiders.

Although his main contributions came as a kicker, Blanda made a huge impact as a quarterback when needed. Tie that into all of the success he had prior to his time to Oakland, and you’ve got one of the top gunslingers in franchise history.

5. Daryle Lamonica

Overall Record with Raiders: 62-16-6

Career Stats with Raiders: 16,655 passing yards, 148 touchdowns, 115 interceptions, 50.6 completion percentage, 75.8 passer rating

There’s a lot to like about Daryle Lamonica. Not only was he one of the Raiders’ first truly outstanding quarterbacks, but he helped them secure three AFL titles before the merger with the NFL.

Nicknamed “The Mad Bomber,” Lamonica also had a thirst for big plays and big yards. He earned the nickname as a result of his eagerness to always throw the deep ball, although it often led to interceptions or poor completion percentages. Still, he was never afraid to take risks if it meant putting points on the board in a hurry.

Obviously Lamonica was pretty good at it, as he is among the all-time leaders in winning percentage. Whenever he was on the field, big things were bound to happen–often leading to more good than bad for the Raiders.

I’m not going to say Lamonica was without his flaws, because he wasn’t. Despite that fact, he knew how to win and did plenty of it for the Raiders. Although he eventually ceded his starting job to Ken Stabler due to accuracy issues, there’s no denying Lamonica deserves to be considered one of the best quarterbacks to ever wear the Silver and Black.

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

4. Derek Carr

Overall Record with Raiders: 21-25 (as of 12/23)

Career Stats with Raiders: 10,962 passing yards, 78 touchdowns, 31 interceptions, 60.8 completion percentage, 87.3 passer rating (as of 12/23)

By the time his career is over, Derek Carr could very well be at the top of this list. However, with only three seasons as the starter, the young signal caller still has some ground to gain of the other legendary Raiders quarterbacks.

Don’t get me wrong, though–Carr has done nothing but impress since landing in Oakland. The Raiders spent a second-round pick on him, and he’s spent his entire career proving he absolutely should have come off the board in Day 1.

The youngster from Fresno State has undergone remarkable growth during his three years in the NFL. He quickly earned the starting job as a rookie, and is now in the middle of the MVP race. On top of individual achievements, Carr has the Raiders headed to the playoffs for the first time in 14 years. Not an easy feat for a young quarterback on a rebuilt roster.

If Carr secures the Raiders a Lombari Trophy in 2017, he could very well vault his way to the top of this list. For now, though, he’ll need some more experience before further ascension is warranted.

3. Rich Gannon

Overall Record with Raiders: 45-29

Career Stats with Raiders: 17,585 passing yards, 114 touchdowns, 50 interceptions, 62.6 completion percentage, 91.2 passer rating

Often overlooked due to his status as a journeyman, Rich Gannon was a bona fide star under center for the Raiders. In six seasons with the franchise, he asserted himself as an underrated asset at quarterback.

Under the guidance of Jon Gruden, Gannon earned four straight Pro Bowl appearances to start his time with the Raiders. In 2002, the Delaware alum turned in his best season under new head coach Bill Callahan, earning an NFL MVP award and leading Oakland to its first Super Bowl appearance since 1983. It’s just too bad he threw five interceptions on the NFL’s grandest stage, leading to a Raiders loss at the hands of the Gruden-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

While that performance left a sour taste in fans’ mouths, it was still a valiant effort from a quarterback who never got the credit he deserved. You have to remember he was the last gunslinger to get Oakland to the playoffs before this season.

Gannon will always be remembered as a journeyman. However, in minds of Raiders Nation, he should go down as one of the team’s most successful gunslingers of all time.

2. Jim Plunkett

Overall Record with Raiders: 38-19

Career Stats with Raiders: 12,665 passing yards, 80 touchdowns, 81 interceptions, 56.2 completion percentage, 75.7 passer rating

It’s a bit ridiculous to think Jim Plunkett doesn’t get the credit he deserves for all of the success he enjoyed in Oakland/Los Angeles. Sure, he never made a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team, and his stats weren’t all that impressive. The overall impact he made for the Raiders, though, is unmistakable.

Not only did he win a Super Bowl with the Silver and Black, but he enjoyed plenty of huge wins in the process. He also secured a 8-2 postseason mark, quite the impressive feat for someone whose career win-loss record was an even 72-72.

Especially for a No. 1 overall pick, it’s easy to see how some would consider his career disappointing. He wasn’t a star for the New England Patriots, and didn’t pan out for the San Francisco 49ers either despite the haul of draft picks given up to acquire him.

Still, it’s difficult to discount everything he accomplished. Plunkett was a Super Bowl MVP and broke barriers for minorities in the NFL. The Raiders were certainly glad he spent eight years with the team, and there’s no denying he was a star in his own right during that time.

1. Ken Stabler

Overall Record with Raiders: 69-26-1

Career Stats with Raiders: 19,078 passing yards, 150 touchdowns, 143 interceptions, 59.9 completion percentage, 80.2 passer rating

While there were a couple of worthy candidates, Ken “The Snake” Stabler earns the top spot on this list. Plunkett was a consideration, and Gannon had the best stats of the older generation of Raiders gunslingers. However, Stabler made the biggest impact.

Stabler spent the first 10 years of his NFL career in Oakland, and was an absolute star. On top of leading the Raiders to countless wins and their first Super Bowl victory, Stabler played a big part in some iconic moments in Silver and Black history.

Between an unforgettable pass to Dave Casper and his part in the Holy Roller, Stabler made an unmistakable mark on this franchise. His accuracy, effectiveness in the clutch and football IQ helped him secure a trip to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016 after years of being overlooked for the honor.

So there you have it–the top 15 quarterbacks in Raiders history. Stabler may cap the list, but there were certainly some exceptional signal callers to don the Silver and Black. With Carr now leading the charge, don’t be surprised to see the top of this list change in the not-so-distant future.