The family said he was battling Stage 4 colon cancer since being diagnosed in February. Hall of Fame linebacker Ted Hendricks was an Oakland teammate of Stabler’s from 1975 to 1979.
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Mark Davis released a statement saying that Stabler personified “what it means to be a Raider”.
The crew at Silver and Black Pride (SB Nation’s website covering the Oakland Raiders) polled reactions from around the league, from fan communities to NFL teams and the media. Last year, Stabler wanted to write his last book, a retrospective about his life and career.
John Madden, who coached Stabler, also put out a statement to express his admiration for one of the NFL’s greatest QBs.
Now that I look back on it, the most powerful part was the unique way Stabler ran a game, or let things chaotically go about around him, maybe he even contributed to the chaos just a bit, and the Raiders as a whole definitely could be a little chaotic, John Madden could storm on the sideline…
He had been acquired by the Oilers in 1980 for quarterback Dan Pastorini and led Houston to the playoffs, where he lost in a wild-card game to the Raiders, the eventual Super Bowl champions.
Stabler was a free spirit, a freelancer, a guy who I think would excel in today’s spread option offenses.
Ken Stabler, among the greatest quarterbacks in Oakland Raiders history, died Wednesday of complications from colon cancer. “If you held a vote, I don’t think it would be close”. Stabler’s number 12 will most likely be added to every Raider player’s helmet or Jersey in 2015, and it can be a symbol of the tenacity and never quit attitude each Oakland Raider should strive for.
In the days preceding a 32-14 Super Bowl XI win over the Minnesota Vikings, Stabler was near-perfect. “One ball”, Madden told this newspaper in 2006.
“He was the best quarterback that I ever had ever had”, Homan said. “I really didn’t know he was this bad off”, Homan said.
There was the “Ghost to the Post” win against the Baltimore Colts in the ’77 playoffs, when Stabler found tight end Dave Casper over the middle for 42 yards to set up the field goal that sent the game into overtime.
I hope we did right by Stabler’s life and career. “And we did”.
Many have lobbied for his enshrinement; he was a finalist in 1990, 1991 and 2003.
When Stabler finally started to say something, Madden was pleased.
“I’m going to breakfast to get my steak and eggs at 8 o’clock the day of the game”, van Eeghen said. “And he’s just coolly looking up at the stands”. A finalist three times, the Foley native never received the votes necessary to get him into Canton. We won the game. “It was a shock to all of us. When you hear “Kenny Stabler died” it’s like a kick in the gut”.
“The years that he was there, he was incredible – as a secondary guy, a guy who defended against his passes”, Ring of Fame defensive back Billy Thompson said on Friday. “I didn’t have to”, Stabler said.
Stabler came into the “72 game against the Steelers only because Lamonica got hurt late in the second half”. He’d look you off and he could throw the football.
Stabler conceded he didn’t always take the best care of himself or have at top-flight work ethic. “He was always charming, and he was a great a football player”. Terry Bradshaw won more.
Stabler’s reputation off the field preceded him and, as someone who was introduced to him as a white-haired wizard on an National Football League pre-game show as a kid, it was odd to match the two ideas up.
“I’m sitting here watching TV and not even comprehending what I’m watching”, Banaszak said.
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According to ESPN, Stabler’s brain and spinal cord were donated to Boston University’s Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center to support research into degenerative brain disease among athletes.
