The Oakland Raiders are one of the few teams in the NFL that don’t retire jersey numbers. The team has always believed that not retiring jersey numbers allows us to keep the memories of former players “fresher” in our minds.
But what if the Raiders decided to retire a few of their most iconic numbers and jerseys? Who are the franchise’s historic players that should have their numbers retired? Today, we are looking at the four numbers that the Raiders should retire.
No. 12 – Ken Stabler
Without a doubt, Ken Stabler is the greatest quarterback in Raiders’ history. He led the team to a Super Bowl win in 1976 as he went on to have a Hall of Fame career in Oakland.
Stabler’s iconic No. 12 jersey should be retired forever, never to be worn again by another player. He represented the Raiders’ culture, and success in the 70s and his jersey should be honored because of it.
No. 00 – Jim Otto
One of the most iconic numbers in all of football, Jim Otto’s “00” should be retired forever by all teams for a few reasons. The first being that he was a 10-time All-Pro center who was elected in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980. He’s arguably the greatest center of all-time after playing in 210 games with the Raiders.
The second reason his number (and jersey) should be retired is the “00” is never worn in today’s NFL. Nobody else would be able to pull off the double zeros and manage to be one of the best offensive linemen in NFL history. Otto is one of the greatest Raiders’ of all-time and his “00” should be officially retired.
No. 24 – Charles Woodson
No player in the 21st century deserves to have their jersey retired more than Charles Woodson. Woodson played 11 years with the Raiders (seven more with the Packers) and started 251 career games. He was named to nine Pro Bowls and was the 2009 A.P. Defensive player of the Year.
Woodson is a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame once he is eligible in 2021 and his iconic No. 24 jersey should follow him to Canton.
No. 32 – Marcus Allen
Arguably the greatest running back in Raiders’ history, Marcus Allen’s No. 32 is one of the most recognizable jerseys in all of sports. Allen rushed for more than 12,000 yards in his NFL career, scoring 144 total touchdowns.
While the Raiders have had many great backs in their history, none have been as dynamic or as talented as Allen. The Hall of Famer was named the league’s MVP in 1985 when he totaled 2,314 yards from scrimmage and scored 14 touchdowns. He was the main reason the team won a Super Bowl in 1983 and is number shouldn’t be allowed to be worn by any other player.
Allen’s No. 32 jersey will always hold a special in Raiders’ history.
