Looking back on the career of Raiders QB Daryle Lamonica
Lamonica’s Legacy
As Lamonica entered the league, defenses were not nearly as dynamic as they are now. Both he and Al Davis recognized this and quickly found out how to attack them. Given the nickname “The Mad Bomber” Daryle Lamonica was known for his gunslinging style where he consistently threw the ball down the field.
This quickly became the Raiders’ identity. As Al Davis said, “They said you had to take what the defense gave you, no we’re going to take what we want.” Never was this mentality more fully realized than when Lamonica was under center.
Of course, defenses adapted over time as they weren’t going to let Lamonica keep throwing the ball over their heads. So while Lamonica helped usher in a philosophical change in offensive football that proved it was okay to be aggressive, he also changed defensive football by forcing them to respect the deep ball.
In today’s NFL, defenses are obviously much more evolved. While this is not due entirely to Lamonica’s Raiders, he was among the first players in the history of the game who had a hand in how it was played.
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After two All-Pro selections and five Pro Bowl selections. Lamonica is one of the best quarterbacks of his generation. While his records have fallen over time when he retired he was the Raiders’ all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns while also possessing a 62-16-6 record in Oakland. An iconic figure in franchise history, he will always be remembered fondly by Raider Nation.