Ken Stabler personified daring and fun

Ken Stabler’s death revealed just how completely he had lived. Memories poured from those who knew him, or at least had watched him play. It didn’t matter if you had gotten to know Stabler in the 1970s or just recently. If the truest sentiments were the most echoed, then we can draw two indelible conclusions: Stabler was daring and Stabler was fun.

Mark Davis released a statement saying that Stabler personified “what it means to be a Raider.” The statement from Stabler’s former head coach, John Madden, expanded on what that might mean.

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. Kenny loved life.

Stabler is described as fun-loving and cool, with maverick sensibilities on and off the field. He was every trope of a 1970s NFL quarterback, basically. He was also really good. He helped the Raiders to five conference championship appearances in six seasons from 1973 to 1978. In 1976, he led the team to a Super Bowl championship. That season, his 66.7 percent completion rate, 27 passing touchdowns, 103.4 passer rating and 9.41 yards per attempts all led the NFL. Stabler threw 150 touchdown passes during the 70s -- third-most during that decade. He is the only quarterback who won a Super Bowl during that period who isn’t yet in the Hall of Fame.

That may need to change based on the reaction to the news. Here is a sample of the love Stabler received Thursday night, and some of the greatest moments from his career.

So many Stabler stories, corroborated by photographs.

Stabler was once booted from the Alabama football team for “non-conformism.“ Stabler’s father told the Henderson Times-News that his son made the mistake of not telling Bear Bryant he was leaving to campus to see his sick grandmother. Other authorities have it that he was cutting class and partying.

Stabler was the consummate comeback artist during his playing career. He led the NFL in game-winning drives three times during his career, and he led the Raiders from behind in three of his seven playoff wins. He did it all by the seat of his pants. Via the New York Times’ obituary:

Stabler was thrust into action against the Steelers as a backup in place of Daryle Lamonica. He nearly won the game for the Raiders, scoring on a 30-yard touchdown scramble with 1:17 left in the game. Then, well ...

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