Established
1960
City
Oakland - Los Angeles - Oakland - Las Vegas
League History
1970 - Present / National Football League
1960 - 1969 / American Football League
Team History
2020 - Present / Las Vegas Raiders
1995 - 2019 / Oakland Raiders
1982 - 1994 / Los Angeles Raiders
1960 - 1981 / Oakland Raiders
Nickname
Raiders - The Los Angeles Raiders have been a beloved professional football team since 1982. The team has had a long and storied history, including three Super Bowl victories, but many fans may not know the origin of their nickname.
The Raider's name was first used in 1960 when they were based in Oakland, California, and owned by F. Wayne Valley. He wanted to give his team an edge, so he chose the word “Raiders” as it suggested an aggressive play on the field—a style that would become synonymous with this franchise for decades!
Valley also liked how “Raiders” could be associated with pirates or buccaneers, two groups who often raided ships for treasure or goods back in those days (hence why you can still see pirate symbols around Raider Nation today).
When Al Davis took over ownership of the club from Valley in 1972, he kept its original name and logo intact as part of his commitment to honor tradition while taking them into new territory – literally!
In 1982 they moved from Oakland to Los Angeles, becoming known as the LA Raiders until 1995, when they returned home again after 13 years away from northern California soil.
Today, even though there are no longer any physical locations tied directly with either city (the current stadium being located outside Las Vegas), The Raider nation remains strong regardless due, largely thanks to its unique nickname, which continues to evoke images of swashbuckling adventure whenever it is heard!
Championship
Super Bowl 1
1984, 1981, 1977
AFL Championships 0
1967
Stadium
2020 - Present / Las Vegas Stadium
*Oakland*
2016 - 2019 / Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
2012 - 2015 / O.co Coliseum
2011 / Overstock.com Coliseum
2008 - 2011 / Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
2004 - 2008 / McAfee Coliseum
1995 - 2004 / Network Associates Coliseum
*Los Angeles*
1982 - 1994 / Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
*Oakland*
1966 - 1998 / Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
1962 - 1965 / Frank Youell Field
*San Francisco*
1961 / Candlestick Park
1960 / Kezar Stadium and Candlestick Park
Owner
2011 - Present / Mark and Carol Davis
1983 - 2011 / Al Davis
1976 - 1983 / Al Davis and Ed McGah
1966 - 1976 / F. Wayne Valley, Ed McGah and Al Davis
1961 - 1966 / F. Wayne Valley and Ed McGah
1960 / Y. Charles (Chet) Soda
- 1982
- 1983
-
Move to Los Angeles – Raiders
Prior to the 1980 season, Al Davis attempted unsuccessfully to have improvements made to the Oakland Coliseum, specifically the addition of luxury boxes. That year, he signed a Memorandum of Agreement to move the Raiders from Oakland to Los Angeles. The move, which required three-fourths approval by league owners, was defeated 22-0 with five owners abstaining. When Davis tried to ... -
Super Bowl XVIII Winner 1983
Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Washington Redskins and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Los Angeles Raiders to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1983 season. The Raiders defeated the Redskins by the score of 38–9. The Raiders’ 38 points and their 29-point margin of victory broke ...
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Los Angeles Raiders
The Los Angeles Raiders, formerly known as the Oakland Raiders, are among the most storied teams in NFL history. Founded in 1982, they have been a part of some of the greatest moments and games in league history. From their first Super Bowl victory over Washington to their three-peat with quarterback Jim Plunkett at the helm, there is no denying that this franchise, previously known as the Oakland Raiders, has made its mark on professional football.
Regarding individual players, few can match what Hall-of-Famer Marcus Allen accomplished for this team during his 11 seasons as a Raider from 1982–1992. His electrifying runs and clutch plays helped lead the Los Angeles Raiders, previously known as the Oakland Raiders, to two Super Bowl victories (XVIII & XVIII) while earning him MVP honors for both games.
An accomplishment only matched by Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw before him! In addition to Allen’s heroics, other notable names who donned the silver & black of the Los Angeles Raiders, previously known as the Oakland Raiders, include Howie Long, Bo Jackson, Tim Brown, Rich Gannon, Jerry Rice, and many more, who all left an indelible mark on Raiders lore throughout their time with the team!
The Raiders were not always based out of Los Angeles; they began to play out at the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum before moving southward in the 1984 season due to financial issues within the city of Oakland. While there was initial skepticism about the move amongst fans of the Oakland Raiders, the Los Angeles Raiders' long-term success in LA proved to be the proper decision. The organization became a perennial contender in the AFC West division and even made back-to-back consecutive Super Bowl appearances in 2002 and 2003 under head coach Bill Callahan.
Despite losing those championship matchups to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New England Patriots, respectively, the Los Angeles Raiders, previously known as the Oakland Raiders, still managed to post winning records 7 out of 8 times between 1983 and 2004, which included four division titles, three conference championships, and eight playoff berths!
Although 2008 marked the end of an era when the team relocated back to its original home base in Oakland following a stint in Los Angeles, now known as the Las Vegas Stadium, the Los Angeles Raiders, previously known as the Oakland Raiders, will look forward to a new chapter in the franchise’s illustrious story from 2020 onward after relocating to Sin City for the 2019 NFL Draft! With a rich tradition and excellence behind them, expect plenty of excitement in the coming years, sure to make any fan proud to call themselves a die-hard member of Raider Nation!
Sports Fan Products
Retired Number
*Blue is this team’s history