Kenny Stabler Should Be In the NFL Hall of Fame

Former Oakland Raiders quarterback Kenny "The Snake" Stabler died Wednesday, July 8, 2015, from complications resulting from Stage 4 colon cancer. He was 69.

To me, there are a few players who have been overlooked for one reason or another for the NFL Hall of Fame. One of them was Kenny Stabler. Stabler's 14-year career, four Pro Bowl appearances and 1974 NFL MVP award were not enough to get him into the Hall of Fame. That, in itself, is a travesty. But, he was one of the fiercest competitors during his days as Oakland Raider quarterback.

John Madden said in the team release, "I've often said, if I had one drive to win a game to this day, and I had a quarterback to pick, I would pick Kenny. Snake was a lot cooler than I was. He was a perfect quarterback and a perfect Raider. When you think about the Raiders you think about Ken Stabler."

Much like L.C. Greenwood of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who should be in the NFL HOF, the Snake had to deal with a large number of his teammates who have been inducted at Canton including Willie Brown, Gene Upshaw, Art Shell, Fred Biletnikoff, Ted Hendricks, Howie Long, Dave Casper, Marcus Allen, Ray Guy. and John Madden. But that is no reason for Kenny Stable to be overlooked for his excellence on the field.

I do have to say that in August of 1981, the New York Times linked Mr. Stabler to a well-known New Jersey gambling figure who is was associate of the Princeton-based Simone DeCavalcante organized crime family. Mr. Stabler's association with the gambler, Nicholas Dudich of Perth Amboy, began and grew during his last four seasons with the Raiders, according to information developed by reporters in interviews with Federal and local law enforcement officials. Oakland was traded Mr. Stabler to the Houston Oilers in 1980. Al Davis, Oakland owner, said in an interview, his gambling associations became a factor in his decision to trade Mr. Stabler. However, Ken continue to play 5 more seasons (2 with Houston and 3 with New Orleans) and was an NFL broadcaster for a few more. He was never suspended by Pete Rozelle for his activities, as he had done to Alex Karas and Paul Hornung in 1963. (Hornung is in the HOF, Karas is not.)

For those of us who saw him play, let's hope that Kenny "The Snake" Stabler gets in the NFL Hall of Fame.

http://www.si.com/vault/1979/04/23/823571/the-key-to-the-case-is-missing-even-now-no-one-can-say-whether-kenny-stabler-was-involved-when-cocaine-in-a-key-case-was-used-to-set-up-a-sportswriter-for-a-drug-bust

This may have played a part in it as well.  Personally, as an Alabama alum, I think he should be in the Hall of Fame.  He certainly did more to earn it than Namath did.  If the Jets lose to the Colts in Super Bowl III, he certainly gets nowhere near the Hall.

No way he gets my vote.  No one with more INTs that TDs should be in the Hall IMO.  And a lifetime passer rating of 75.3 at a time when other QBs were putting up ratings 20 or more points higher is more indicative of his qualities as a QB.

The guy had one very good year in 1974 and 2 decent to good years in 1973 and 1974 and basically sucked every other year he played.

We shouldn't put guys in the HOF, IMO, just because they died.

As a lifelong Steeler fan, I remember Stabler very well. The Steeler v Raider rivalry was as good as it gets in the 70's.

I hated Stabler- but that's a compliment. His numbers do not look like they are Hall of Fame worthy, but numbers don't tell the story here. I've seen the dude play, and I think he belongs in the Hall of Fame.

I was sad to hear of his death.

Just a quick question....

Did you get a chance to see The Snake play?

Yeah, I'm 60 so I saw him all through his prime.  He just was not that good.  Sorry, 3 good years and a lot of crappy years.  Think about just how bad those bad years must have been when we consider that in his MVP year he had a R if over 100 and  had a couple of other years in the low 90s yet his career PR is 75.   Seven years in which his PR was UNDER 70?

As to it being a different game?  Sure, but even then a PR in the 70s was not HOF material.

Sorry, but rose colored glasses exist in sports other than golf.  I know guys will always talk about the "eye test", but when there is a disconnect between the "eyes" and the numbers I'll go with the numbers every single time.

Stabler and the Raiders saved my Sunday afternoons in the 70's, as the Eagles sucked and the Raider were almost always the 4:00 PM game on NBC. Always looked forward to seeing the Snake pull another one out of the fire. He didn't do it enough in the playoffs (particularly against the Steelers), but he was a real leader and fun to watch. I would not have a problem if he was in the HOF.

I respect your assessment of Ken Stabler and the stats that go with it. But, I still have to respectfully disagree. The Snake was the consummate competitor and struck fear in the hearts of his opponents every time he had the ball.

Just a few additional stats... Here you can see that Kenny Stabler's winning percentage compares favorably with four other Hall of Fame quarterbacks of his era: Joe Namath, Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach, and Bob Griese.  He won more games as a starting quarterback than Griese, Staubach, and Namath.

Career Records & Win Percentage:

Stabler:         96-49-1     .660

Namath:        62-63-4     .496

Bradshaw:  107-51-0     .677

Staubach:     85-29-0     .746

Griese:          92-56-3     .617

(Note: ties count as one win and one loss for percentage purposes.)

In addition, Stabler won 1 Super Bowl. Namath had 1, Staubach had 2, Griese had 2, and Bradshaw had 4.

Just wondering, who was your favorite team back in the 1970's? Being from Pittsburgh, mine was the Steelers.

Stablers stats with the Raiders are what would put him into the hall, by the time he went to Houston and NO he was well in his twilight and remember QB's back then sat for at least 2 years sometimes even longer unlike now, Kenny didn't even get a chance to play until the age of 25 and that was only in clean up time for Lamonica

Raider stats

ATT  2481  COMP 1486 % 59.9 Yards 19,078 TD 150 INT 143

Best year at 31 years of age

ATT 291 COMP 194 %66.7 YARDS 2737  TD 27 INT 17 RATE 103.4

The Raiders were not a ball control offense, they threw it deep and they did it often even Lamonica had 115 INT's when he played for the Raiders they just felt an INT on a long bomb was no different than a good punt and they relied heavy on the defense back then so INT's were expected but you were also firing at the opposing teams end zone all day. He finally retired right before turning 40 hell most QB's now are at least 5-8 years into retirement by that age. I think his QB rating during his time with the Raiders would be in the mid to high 80's.

I suppose if he were in we could have the debate about him or Namath being the most overrated in the hall. I liked Stabler, and character has value, (see Joe Willie), but not enough to get you in the hall.

Just my HO

The Snake was my all time favorite QB when growing up ... gowd he had a great arm - nobody had a better delivery - he was awesome.

And now he's in

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2016/2/6/10928950/2016-pro-football-nfl-hall-of-fame-class-brett-favre-marvin-harrison

Stabler, Biletnikoff and Cliff Branch those were good times. Raiders were my team when I was a kid, tough going for a Denver native.

He was a hero of mine growing up mostly because he was lefty, as was I (golf righty).  I was always Stabler in our backyard pickup games, my brother was Biletnikof, our buddy was Branch.  Of course when it was time to punt, I quickly flipped into Ray Guy.  I know Tatum and Sistrunk, and Upshaw played on those teams too.  Wow, mems.  Glad The Snake got in.