Ken Stabler named the most important player in Oakland Raiders history

There is no doubt that Ken Stabler is an icon when it comes to the Oakland Raiders, and he was recently named the most important player in team history.

During the 1968 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders selected Alabama quarterback Ken Stabler in the second round. Over the next 12 seasons, Stabler would establish himself as the franchise quarterback for the Raiders, winning the 1974 Most Valuable Player award, and leading the team to a victory in Super Bowl XI.

Outside of all the statistics, and the honors, Stabler really stood out due to the way he played the game. A fearless leader, Stabler could put the team on his back at any moment, and played with the kind of toughness that made him a legend to Raiders fans everywhere.

Steve Rivera from NFL Spin Zone recently named Stabler the most important player in franchise history, and it is hard to disagree with him. When it comes to Raider Nation, Stabler is an absolute icon, and helped to make the franchise what it is today.

Not only did he lead the team to their first Super Bowl victory, but he personified what it was to be a Raider in the 1970s. This was a franchise who got close in the late 1960s to winning a title, but it was not until Stabler took over as the starting quarterback that they were finally able to reach the mountaintop.

When it was all said and done, Stabler had re-wrote the Raiders record book in terms of the quarterback position, and still holds a bunch of team records today. Unfortunately, he did not get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame until after his death, as colon cancer took the legend at the age of 69.

There have been so many iconic players to put on the Silver and Black, but Stabler is universally respected as one of the greatest Raiders of all time. To this day, you can go to any Raiders game and see his No. 12 jersey all around, which is a testament to how amazing a player, and person he was.