How Many Raiders Are In The Hall Of Fame? The Raiders’ history is a very illustrious one. Since the beginning of the Raiders franchise in January 1960, fourteen members of the organization have been inducted into the Football Hall of Fame as Raiders. Twelve players, former head coach John Madden, and legendary Owner Al Davis represent the franchise in the ‘Hall’.
Twelve other players and executive Ron Wolf that at one time donned the Silver & Black are also in the Hall of Fame, representing a different team. However, there are plenty of Raiders that still deserve that famous Gold Jacket. As such, here is a list of the top five Raiders not in the Hall of Fame.
5. Jack Tatum, S
Jack Tatum was one bad dude. So bad that he got the nickname “The Assassin”, which is by far the most intimidating nickname in all of sports history. The Assassin was so terrifying he was No. 6 on NFL Network’s Most Feared Tacklers, ahead of some guys named Ray Lewis and Jack Lambert.
Tatum only made three Pro Bowls but nabbed 37 interceptions during his career. He was a member of the 1976 Super Bowl Championship team and who can forget the iconic image of Tatum standing above Vikings receiver Sammy White after delivering on the hardest hits in the NFL’s history. Tatum embodied what it meant to be a Raider and installed fear in all he played against.
4. Greg Townsend, DE
Greg Townsend may be the most underrated player of all time. Townsend is the Raiders’ franchise leader in sacks and it isn’t close. Howie Long, a Hall of Famer, comes in second and trails Townsend by more than 20 sacks.
Townsend finished with 109.5 total sacks, 107.5 as a Raider, but somehow only managed to make two Pro Bowls. He was also first-team All-Pro Associated Press twice. Townsend also won a Super Bowl in his rookie season in 1983. Townsend managed to quietly have over 100 sacks in his career and it’s a shame he has been left out of Canton as he most certainly deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame.
3. Lester Hayes, CB
Unfortunately for Lester Hayes, he has seemingly been blacklisted by the Hall of Fame because of his use of the one time legal yet iconic substance “Stickum”. Hayes is associated with Stickum so much that he is mentioned on its brief Wikipedia page.
On the field, he was a shutdown corner. Lester Hayes snagged 39 interceptions and was Defensive Player of the Year in 1980, a season where he logged 13 inceptions. Along with being tied with Hall of Famer Willie Brown for most interceptions as a Raider, Hayes also made five Pro Bowls and one All-Pro Team. Hayes won two Super Bowls with the Silver & Black, ’80 and ’83. Hayes is yet another Hall of Fame snub.
2. Cliff Branch, WR
Based on statistical evidence alone, wide receiver Cliff Branch should be in the Hall of Fame and had a more impressive career than multiple other WR’s currently enshrined. He was a four-time Pro Bowler, All-Pro first team three times, and won three Super Bowls with the Raiders. Branch finished his career with 501 receptions for 8685 yards and 67 touchdowns.
Lynn Swann had 336 receptions for 5462 yards and 51 touchdowns, he is in the Hall of Fame. Bob Hayes had 371 receptions for 7414 and 71 touchdowns, he is also in the Hall of Fame. To conclude, Branch won three Super Bowls, made three All-Pro 1st teams, and has a statistically more impressive career than multiple wide receivers in the HOF, case closed.
1. Tom Flores, Head Coach
There isn’t a single valid reason to support Tom Flores not being in the Hall of Fame. In his nine years of coaching the Raiders, Tom Flores’ record is 83-53. Flores also led the Raiders in two Super Bowl victories, 1980 and 1983. After his first Super Bowl triumph, he became the first minority head coach to ever win a Super Bowl. In the playoffs, Flores went 8-3.
The only hiccup on his resume is his stint in Seattle. He spent three years there and his teams went 14-34. Â He is one of only three eligible coaches with two or more Super Bowl wins not in the Hall of Fame. Head Coach Tom Flores deserves a spot etched out for him in Canton. Unfortunately, Flores was not even a semifinalist for the 2018 Hall of Fame class.
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All your picks are correct. The Judge, #37!
I always wonder about Dave Dalby…starting center for the three Raiders Superbowl victories, never missed a game in 14 years…and never mentioned in articles like these.
Steve Wiesnewski
Excellent article. I especially agree with your arguments for Cliff Branch and I’ve nothing else to add to your notes.
As for Lester Hayes, what most people don’t know (or don’t care to know) is that during Hayes career, Stickum was commonly used throughout the NFL and was perfectly legal to use. It was only after so much notoriety (and irritation at having to replace so many game balls during each quarter) that Stickum and other similar substances eventually were included in the rule book as being verboten from use by players.
Before and after Stickum was forbidden, Lester Hayes still dominated his side of the field and it’s a disservice to Hayes legacy that he’s remembered for Stickum rather than being a true shutdown corner before that term was ever in use.
Lester Hayes and his eventual bookend Michael Haynes rewrote the book in the modern era for shutdown corners. It’s a shame that only Haynes is in Canton and not both.
Now we get to one of my very favorite subjects, that being Tom Flores, who has 4 Super Bowl rings, total.
Flores owns a ring as a player: he was Len Dawson’s backup QB on the 1970 KC Chiefs team, defeating the Minnescrota Vikings in SB IV.
Next, Flores was an offensive assistant on John Madden’s 1976 Super Bowl winning team (XI) again defeating the Minnescrota Vikings.
That’s four (4) Super Bowl rings as both a player and a coach, just in case some entitled, never-played-the-game HOF voter tries more double standards in comparing Apples to Apples in the HOF argument.
How many rings did Tony Dungy have, again?
Tom Flores deserves his rightful spot in Canton. I think in the case of each former RAIDER player written about above, it’s a simple case of RAIDER hating.
Face it, there is NO good reason for not including these great players into the HOF.
One could make the case that the HOF is only so big and there’s only so much room. That’s why it’s called the Hall of Fame, as opposed to the Hall of Really Pretty Good.
But aside from sheer RAIDER hating (remember Kenny Stabler?) what valid reason can be offered for several of these snubs?
As fans, we’ve all got our favorites that maybe wouldn’t make the cut if we’re using the same exact criteria for each candidate. These former RAIDER players & coach all have lengthy bodies of work and each impacted the game in their own unique way.
Inexplicably, they’ve been shut out of the HOF in favor of statistically less deserving, but certainly more popular, former players. This isn’t fair, but it is transparent.
Perhaps the NFL Hall of Fame should change its name to the NFL Shrine For The Most Popular Players For Memorabilia & Merchandising?
I rest my case.
It’s a shame Tom Flores is not in HOF!
Cliff branch for sure he was the most feared receiver of his time. He changed the way defences played Freddy B. Wouldn’t have as many opportunities as Branch was doubled also opened up Casper to. Dave Dalby is another. Definitely Flores without a doubt and Plunkett. Won 2 Super bowls was benched in 83 came back and won. Never would have won with Wilson.
Branch, flores and hayes not being in is disgusting. I did not know Townsend had such great numbers. I agree with Tatum but unfortunately the stingley tragedy will always hover over jack. I also would like to see Dalby , wiz and Millen. Great article.
How and who can justify these 5 not in canton? Thats shows how bad the NFL are really Raider Haters! Damn shame!!
Steve wiesnewski should be at the top of this list at #1 . How do you get voted all pro 8 times without being inducted ?
F*** The Bullshit…!!!
1.Tom Flores 2. Jim Plunkett 3. Cliff Branch….
Period!!!!
JIM PLUNKETT, 2 SB’S, COME BACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR, HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER,!!!