The 10 Best Raiders Quarterbacks of All Time, Ranked

The Raiders were born in 1960 in Oakland, and the team has made multiple moves since.

After 23 years in Oakland, the Raiders moved to Los Angeles in 1982. They remained in L.A. until 2000, when they headed to their current home in Las Vegas. The Raiders were the only team to play in the Super Bowl in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, winning the Big Game three times (in 1977, 1981, and 1984), also adding an American Football League (AFL) championship in 1967.

Despite all of that success, they haven’t had many greats at the quarterback position. Of the franchise’s 30 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees, only three are QBs, and two of the three were selected more for their feats with other teams or for their coaching prowess than for their QB play.

Considering the team’s lack of stars at the position, it was difficult to select which signal-callers deserved a place on the list. We went with players who arguably impacted the team the most, whether through broken records or Super Bowl rings. Here are our choices for the top 10 QBs in Raiders history.

*Note: All titles, awards and stats listed below are from each player’s tenure with the Raiders only. All stats are from Pro Football Reference unless otherwise stated.

10. Kerry Collins

Years as a Raider: 2004-2005
Career regular season stats:

7-21 record
7,254 passing yards
41 TDs
32 INTs
54.8 completion percentage

Iconic performance: December 19, 2004, Collins went 21-37 for 371 yards and 5 TDs in a 40-35 Raiders win over the Tennessee Titans.

Collins’ inclusion on this list speaks more to the Raiders’ lack of difference-making QBs than it does anything else. Collins didn’t win much, and he threw loads of picks, but he still managed to rack up a decent amount of passing yards in that span. Despite playing with the team for two seasons, he currently ranks No. 10 on the Raiders’ all-time passing yardage list.

9. Marc Wilson

Years as a Raider: 1980-1987
Championships & Awards:

2-time Super Bowl champion (1980, 1983)

Career regular season stats:

31-19 record
11,760 passing yards
77 touchdowns
86 interceptions
52.3 completion percentage

Career postseason season stats:

(0-1) record
131 passing yards
1 TD
3 INTs

Iconic performance: December 7, 1981: Wilson went 18-29 for 275 yards and 3 TDs in the Raiders’ 30-27 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Wilson was part of two Super Bowl-winning teams with the Raiders, though he was not the starting quarterback in either victory. His best individual year came in 1985, when he led the Raiders to an 11-2 record as the starter. He threw for a career-high 2,608 yards that year. Despite these successes, Wilson often struggled with consistency, as he threw more interceptions over his career than he did touchdowns. Still, he has two rings, and over 11,000 passing yards with the team, so he makes the cut.

8. Jay Schroeder

Years as a Raider: 1988-1992
Career regular season stats:

32-25 record
10,276 passing yards
66 touchdowns
62 interceptions
50.1 completion percentage

Career postseason season stats:

1-1 record
322 yards
2 TDs
6 INTs
46.2 completion percentage

Iconic performance: December 22, 1990, on the road vs. the Minnesota Vikings, Schroeder tossed 4 TDs and threw for 240 yards on 10 passes in the Raiders’ 28-24 win.

Though Schroeder’s tenure with the Raiders was marked by inconsistent play, he displayed flashes of brilliance, particularly in 1990, when he threw for 2,849 yards with 19 touchdowns. He led the league in yards per completion that year (15.7 yards). Schroeder was never a game-changer by any means, but he did play a key role in keeping the Raiders competitive during a transitional phase for the franchise. As of the end of the 2023 season, he is 9th on the team’s all-time passing yardage list.

7. Tom Flores

Years as a Raider: 1960-61, 1963-1966
Awards:

Pro Bowl selection (1966)
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Career regular season stats:

30-31-3 record
11,635 passing yards
92 touchdowns
83 interceptions
49.4 completion percentage

Iconic performance: On December 2, 1963, the Raiders hosted the Houston Oilers. Flores threw for 407 yards and 6 TDs on just 17 passes in the Raiders’ 52-49 victory.

Flores was the first-ever starting quarterback for the Oakland Raiders when they began play in 1960 as a charter team in the American Football League (AFL). It was a role he held for six years. We think that fact alone makes him a worthy candidate for this list. Additionally, Flores later went on to win multiple Super Bowls with the team as a coach. He also made history during his time with the team — he was the first Hispanic starting quarterback in professional football history.

6. Jeff Hostetler

Years as a Raider: 1993-1996
Awards:

Pro Bowl selection (1994)

Career regular season stats:

33-22 record
11,122 passing yards
69 touchdowns
49 interceptions
58.5 completion percentage

Career postseason season stats:

1-1 record
524 yards
4 TDs
0 INTs
69.2 completion percentage

Iconic performance: September 1994, on the road vs. the Denver Broncos, Hostetler threw for 338 yards and 4 TDs in the Raiders’ 48-16 win.

In his first season with the Raiders, Hostetler immediately made an impact, guiding the team to a 10-6 record and a playoff appearance. Hostetler’s standout moment came in the wild card round of the 1993 playoffs, where he threw for 294 yards and three scores in a 42-24 victory over the Broncos, marking the last NFL playoff game in Los Angeles for over two decades. Hostetler currently ranks 8th on the team’s all-time passing yards list.

5. Daryle Lamonica

Years as a Raider: 1967-1974
Championships & Awards:

AFL champion (1967)
AFL Championship MVP (1967)
2-time first-team All-Pro (1967, 1969)
4-time Pro Bowl selection (1967, 1969-70, 1972)

Career regular season stats:

62-16-6 record
16,655 passing yards
148 touchdowns
115 interceptions
50.6 completion percentage

Career postseason season stats:

4-5 record
1,748 passing yards
18 TDs
7 INTs

Iconic performance: October 19, 1969, Lamonica went off, throwing for 313 yards while tossing 6 TDs in a 50-21 win over the Buffalo Bills.

Lamonica’s powerful arm and penchant for throwing deep passes played a pivotal role in defining the Raiders’ aggressive, vertical passing offense during the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1968 and 1969, he led the NFL in passing yards per game, and he lost just a total of four games from the 1967 season through his 1969 campaign. He also led the Raiders to several playoff appearances, including four straight AFL Championship games (1967-1970).

4. Rich Gannon

Years as a Raider: 1999-2004
Awards:

2-time first-team All-Pro (2000, 2002)
NFL Most Valuable Player (2002)
4-time Pro Bowl selection (1999-2002)

Career regular season stats:

45-29 record
17,585 passing yards
114 touchdowns
50 interceptions
62.6 completion percentage

Career postseason season stats:

4-3 record
1,517 passing yards
11 TDs
8 INTs
63.6 completion percentage

Iconic performance: In the 2003 AFC Championship against the Tennessee Titans, Gannon completed 70.7 of his passes for 286 yards and 3 TDs in the Raiders’ 41-24 win.

Gannon’s standout season came in 2002, where he led the Raiders to an 11-5 record and a Super Bowl 37 appearance. He threw for 4,689 yards and 26 touchdowns that year, earning him the league MVP award. Gannon also set an NFL record that year by throwing for 300+ yards in 10 consecutive games, surpassing the previous record of 8 set by former 49ers great Steve Young. Gannon’s tenure was significant not only because he was explosive and accurate, but because he led the Raiders to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1983.

3. Derek Carr

Years as a Raider: 2014-2022
Championships & Awards:

4-time Pro Bowl selection

Career regular season stats:

63-79 record
35,222 passing yards
217 TDs
99 INTs
64.6 completion percentage

Career postseason season stats:

0-1 record
310 yards
1 TD
1 INT
53.7 completion percentage

Iconic performance: Carr threw 4 TDs, 513 yards and no picks in a 30-24 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in October of 2016.

The all-time passing leader for the Raiders, Derek Carr had four consecutive seasons (2018–2021) where he passed for over 4,000 yards, showing incredible production and consistency at the quarterback position. Known for his ability to perform under pressure, Carr led the NFL in game-winning drives from 2015 to 2022 with 33, making him one of the most clutch quarterbacks of his era. Carr’s 4,804 passing yards in 2021 set a Raiders’ new single-season record, and his 142 games played is tops among all quarterbacks in the team’s history.

2. Jim Plunkett

Years as a Raider: 1979-1986
Championships & Awards:

2-time Super Bowl champion (1980, 1983)
Super Bowl MVP (1980)
NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1980)

Career regular season stats:

38-19 record
12,665 passing yards
80 touchdowns
81 interceptions
56.2 completion percentage

Career postseason season stats:

8-2 record
2,293 passing yards
11 TDs
12 INTs
59.6 completion percentage

Iconic performance: 1981 AFC Championship vs. the then-San Diego Chargers, Plunkett was incredibly efficient, going 14-of-18 for 261 yards and 2 TDs. Despite getting sacked six times, he still led the Raiders to a 34-27 win.

He had a slow start in the NFL, but Plunkett revived his career with the Raiders after initially being a backup quarterback. His postseason success, including his 8–2 playoff record with the team, remains one of his most notable achievements. It was his keen ability to step up when called upon in the postseason that has cemented his legacy with the franchise and its fans. Plunkett also made history as the first quarterback of Mexican-American descent to win a Super Bowl.

1. Kenny Stabler

Years as a Raider: 1970-1979
Championships & Awards:

Super Bowl Champion (1976)
NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1974)
First-team All-Pro (1974)
NFL Most Valuable Player (1974)
4-time Pro Bowl selection (1973-74, 1976-77)
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Career regular season stats:

69-26-1 record
19,078 passing yards
150 touchdowns
143 interceptions
59.9 completion percentage

Career postseason season stats:

7-4 record
2,398 passing yards
19 TDs
11 INTs
57.8 completion percentage

Iconic performance: December 21, 1974, Stabler led the Raiders to a 28-26 win over the reigning conference champions Miami Dolphins. He marched the Raiders 69 yards down the field in 90 seconds for the winning touchdown, going 20-30 for 293 yards and 4 TDs on the day.

When you’re thinking about the greatest passers in franchise history, it all goes back to “The Snake.” Stabler led the Raiders to their first championship in franchise history. He was renowned for his ability to win games late, earning a reputation as one of the best “clutch” quarterbacks of the era. He won the NFL MVP Award in 1974, throwing for 2,469 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions with a league-best 57.4% completion percentage, leading the Raiders to a 12-2 record that season. Stabler was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016, highlighting his influence and success in the NFL.

How did we do, Raiders Nation? Check out our 11th pick and sound off in the comments below!

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