Las Vegas Raiders: 15 most beloved fan favorites in franchise history
(1987-90). Bo Jackson. 13. player. 28. . RB
Most beloved Raiders of all time: 13. Bo Jackson
Bo knows, right? The next player on this ranking is one of the most well-known athletes ever, regardless of sport. Bo Jackson became a national icon after refusing to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, seemingly forgoing football to play professional baseball. A year later, the Raiders selected Jackson in the seventh round of the 1987 NFL Draft.
Already a member of the Kansas City Royals in the MLB, Jackson was interested enough in football to join the Raiders halfway through the season. He went on to spend four seasons with the Raiders, tallying 2,782 yards and 16 touchdowns in 38 total games.
Unfortunately, Jackson suffered a massive injury to his hip, called avascular necrosis, which damaged the blood vessels and arteries in his hip. The injury forced him to quit playing football and resulted in him being cut by the Royals, although he would go on to play for the Chicago White Sox and the then-California Angels before retiring at the age of 32 in 1994.
Jackson’s popularity among Raiders fans, and sports fans, in general, was widespread in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The “Bo Knows” advertisement campaign produced by Nike helped Jackson cement his place in mainstream media.
Jackson is viewed as one of the best athletes of all time, in terms of overall raw athleticism. His electric running style enamored Raiders fans, even though his time with the team was relatively short.