Former Oakland Raiders star quarterback, four-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion Kenny Stabler has passed away from colon caner at the age of 69.
“He passed peacefully surrounded by the people he loved most, including his three daughters and longtime partner, as some of his favorite songs played in the background,” the family said in a statement.
“He was a kind, generous and unselfish man, never turning down an autograph or an opportunity to help someone in need. A great quarterback, he was an even greater father to his three girls and grandfather to his three ‘grand snakes.’
“In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to the XOXO Stabler Foundation to support research of colon cancer and sports-related head trauma. More information will be available on Facebook fan page and the XOXO Stabler Foundation.”
A 1968 second round draft pick out of Alabama, “The Snake” threw for 27,938 yards with a 59.8 completion rate and 194:222 touchdown-to-interception ratio during his 15-year NFL career with Oakland (1970-79), Houston (1980-81) and New Orleans (1982-84). Those numbers obviously wouldn’t look impressive in today’s prolific passing league, but Stabler was one of the most accurate passers of the 1970s and is widely regarded as one of the most renown and successful quarterbacks not to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“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,” John Madden said in a statement. “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. It is a sad day for all Raiders.”
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