It’s common enough for NFL teams to move the franchise to a new city, though it is not without controversy. No team has upped sticks more than the Raiders, however, which is tied all-time with the Rams with four incarnations in a home city.
The franchise has had a storied history, winning Super Bowls, adding to the legends of names like John Madden, Jim Plunkett, and Marcus Allen. But which version of the Raiders was most successful? Which is the most iconic? Let’s look at all four eras of the team, starting with the current one:
Las Vegas Raiders (2020-Present)
Regular Season Record 39-62
Playoff Appearances 1
Let’s face it, things have not been great since the move to Las Vegas, and the Raiders in the current guise are not the kind of team you look for in the Super Bowl betting lines at the beginning of the season. Still, it is a ‘project’ that the owners, including Tom Brady, have claimed requires patience. The Raiders will have the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and are likely to pick up exciting quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The team will likely need a bit more to become a serious contender in 2026.
Oakland Raiders 1995-2019
Regular Season Record (160-240)
Playoff Appearances 4
There were fond memories of the Raiders' second coming in Oakland, including the run to the Super Bowl in the 2002 season. That Super Bowl defeat came at the tail end of a stretch of three seasons in which a Rich Gannon-led offense made the Raiders a formidable team. It was, however, the only true purple patch across the second 25 years in Oakland. The Raiders only made the Playoffs once more during that period, losing to the Texans (Wild Card) in the 2016 season. The fact that the organization had 12 different head coaches in the period says a lot.
Los Angeles Raiders 1982-1984
Regular Season Record (118-82)
Playoff Appearances 7
There are some fond memories of the 13 seasons the Raiders played in Los Angeles, not least the Super Bowl XVIII win over Washington. The early 1980s, under head coach Tom Flores, in particular, was a wonderful period, exemplified by the legendary running back Marcus Allen. While there was a down period post-Flores in the late 1980s, the Raiders picked back up again in the early 1990s before the move “home,” making the Playoffs in three out of four seasons from 1990-1994.
Oakland Raiders 1960-1981
Regular Season Record (195-110-11)
Playoff Appearances 11
This is it, right? The golden period of the Raiders? Early life in the AFL in the 1960s started tough for the Raiders, winning just nine games across the first three seasons. It took the franchise seven seasons to make the postseason. But in 1967, things took off, winning the AFL Championship and reaching Super Bowl II (a loss to the Packers). John Madden took over in 1969, transforming Oakland into a perennial contender. The 1976 season delivered the Raiders their first Super Bowl, and it was followed up by Super Bowl XV after Flores took over from Madden. You can, of course, talk about a continuation from this period after the move to LA, as there was continuity with Flores and players like Jim Plunkett, but as a distinct version of the Raiders, the first period in Oakland was arguably the best.
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