Regardless of a lack of success that has spanned more than two decades now, the Las Vegas Raiders remain one of the iconic franchises in the NFL. From a simple but classic color palate, to a logo that has no need to be "modernized," to legendary personalites, the legacy endures.
Ideally, some current guys beyond Maxx Crosby will eventually add to the legacy of great players in the Raiders' illustrious history. And with that, the team-wide results should improve to bring back that part of franchise's glory days.
FanSided's Nick Villano has taken the all-time greats angle in a unique direction, with a list naming the greatest NFL player from each state. The Silver and Black is, in some expected but also in some surprising ways, well-represented.
Raiders are nicely represented on list of best NFL players from each state
Raider Nation may not be aware that Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long was born in Massachusetts, but Villano gave him the nod over another Hall of Famer from that state.
"Massachusetts seems like it should be better at building football players than it is. They only have four Hall of Famers in their state’s history. If that sounds like a lot, 25 states have more, including Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kansas. However, we can look at those Hall of Famers and celebrate their accomplishments that all started in and around Boston. We went with Howie Long over fellow Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti. Long did it with the Raiders, a franchise with big expectations. Buoniconti did become a legend with the Boston Patriots, but he left for the Miami Dolphins! That one hurts. Long is a native of Somerville and stuck in Massachusetts until college."
Steve Wisniewski is one of the most decorated guards in Raiders history. Like Long, he spent his entire career with the team to put himself into a different layer of exalted franchise lore. But did you know the Penn State alum was born in Vermont? Quite the representation in the northeast.
"It’s rare in this league for an offensive lineman to become undeniable because of their resume, but that’s what we’re dealing with right now. Steve Wisniewski was born in Rutland, Vermont, before eventually moving to Texas. He moved back north to play for Penn State in college, where he helped them win a National Championship. The guard joined the Raiders in the NFL, and he became a great guard, honored as a first-team All-Pro two times and making eight Pro Bowls."Â
Other great players have, of course, spent at least part of their career with the Raiders. To that end, Hall of Famers Jerry Rice (Mississippi), Randy Moss (West Virginia) and Rod Woodson (Indiana) also made Villano's list.
Rice and Moss' home states are well-known, while the only thing that really could have told us where Woodson is from beforehand (without a search) was where he went to college (Purdue).
Two other players who spent time with the Raiders during their careers, Ronnie Lott (New Mexico) and Rich Camarillo (Maine) were tabbed by Villano as the greatest player from their home state.
Seven of the best players broken down by home state having a tie to the Raiders is a pretty good percentage. Six of the seven, sans Camarillo, also had memorable time playing for the team.
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