Raiders most surprising seasons by decade, 1960-2010s

Raiders most surprising seasons by decade, 1960-2010s

The 1963 Oakland Raiders

We kick off our list with the 1960, and we do it early in the decade, as the Raiders were playing their fourth season in Oakland. During that time, the team was a member of the AFL, and prior to the 1963 campaign, had been one of the worst teams in the league.

Coming off a 1-13 season, the organization made wholesale changes, bringing in Al Davis to be not only the general manager, but also the head coach. Under Davis, the franchise changed their look, moving away from the gold, and into the Silver and Black, a look they would become famous for.

With Davis at the helm, the Raiders became one of the best teams in the league, and while they did not make the playoffs, they established themselves as a doormat no longer. Clem Daniels rushed for over 1,000 yards, and Art Powell had one of the more prolific receiving seasons in team history, hauling in 73 passes for over 1,300 yards and 16 touchdowns.

It was a strange season, as it was paused for the assassination of John F. Kennedy, but after a four game losing stretch in September, the Raiders did not lose a single game after that. For his efforts, Davis was named the AFL’s Coach of the Year, and from then on, he would become the heart and sould of the franchise.