Top 5 Oakland Raiders Hall of Fame snubs

The Oakland Raiders have always been a team that you either love or you hate and sometimes the animosity toward the Oakland Raiders led towards Hall of Fame players not being inducted into the Hall of Fame. These are the top five Oakland Raiders to not be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The list was extremely hard to come to a conclusion on and if you disagree, feel free to leave a comment on who you’re top 5 are.

5. Jim Plunkett

Jim Plunkett’s first game in the NFL was a 20-6 victory over the Oakland Raiders in 1971 ironically. In a career that spanned from 1971-1986, Jim Plunkett was labeled a draft bust by 1976 because he was selected number 1 overall by the Patriots and was traded to the 49ers in 1977. Jim Plunkett was cut by the 49ers in 1978 during the preseason and was picked up by the Raiders which would be one of the best free agent pickups in NFL history. Jim Plunkett went on to lead the Raiders to two super bowl championships in 1980 and 1983, yet his playoff success later in his career doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. Jim Plunkett may have had a rocky start coming into the league, but he actually won two rings while some quarterbacks in the Hall like Dan Marino have no rings. Kenny Stabler is honorable mention in the quarterback position, but Jim Plunkett has a better Super Bowl resume and Stabler easily should be 5b.

4. Tim Brown

Tim Brown was a Hall of Fame finalist this year, but didn’t make the final cut into this year’s inductees. Tim Brown was an Oakland Raider from 1988-2003, before he was released by Oakland in 2004 before the season began. Brown was a 9 time pro bowler and made an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVII that most Raider fans wish to forget, but that doesn’t luster the career Brown has had in shaping his legacy as one of the best receivers in the NFL. Tim Brown will eventually reach the Hall in most estimation, but it is still a snub.

3. Lester Hayes

Lester Hayes was a lifelong Raider from 1977-1986 and is known by many as the greatest shutdown corner in the history of the game. Hayes had 39 interceptions in his career and broke the single season NFL record for most interceptions in an entire year in 1980 with 13. Hayes was also a member of the 1980 and 83 super bowl winning teams of the Oakland Raiders. One of the main reasons Hayes may be held back for the HOF was his fondness for using stickum, but he never used it after it was banned in 1981.  Other reasons may be because he doesn’t have a lot of interceptions, but he didn’t have a lot of interceptions because of how well he played the corner position and is a shame a player of his caliber hasn’t been inducted yet. Jack Tatum is honorable mention on the defensive side of the ball as well, but this is the top five for a reason and Hayes has a better resume for getting into the Hall.

2. Cliff Branch

Cliff Branch was famous for telling John Madden before a game, “I can beat my guy.” and Madden would reply, “We haven’t even started the game yet.” which personifies his career as an Oakland Raider. Branch played for the Raiders from 1972-1985 in a career that included four pro bowls, and three super bowl championships. Cliff Branch also shows some evidence of a bias for the Steelers on the Hall of Fame panel, because Cliff Branch has better statistics then Lynn Swan and the pedigree as well, but isn’t in the hall of fame. Cliff Branch is better than Lynn Swan and the fact Swan is in and Branch isn’t in the Hall of Fame is a gigantic snub. Hopefully Branch will have football immortality soon, but it would be shame if his name is never called, because he deserves it.

1. Ray Guy

Ray Guy played for the Oakland Raiders from 1973-86 and Guy is the biggest snub in the history of  the Hall of Fame snubs because he revolutionized the kicking game. Not to mention being a 7 time pro bowler and three time Super Bowl winner, Ray Guy changed how teams use special teams to their advantage to win games. Joe Horrigan, the historian of the NFL Hall of Fame said once of Guy, “He’s the punter you could look at and say: ‘He won games.’ ” and it’s the truth. Special teams players are notoriously snubbed from the hall of fame because they don’t play every down, but can you tell the history of the game without mentioning the man who revolutionized special team punt coverage? He is number one because he is a no brainer, you put Ray Guy in because he changed history in the NFL and if that isn’t enough to get voters to notice, then it’s a snub.

Honorable mention for players who didn’t make the top five are Kenny Stabler, Jack Tatum, Phil Villapiano, Todd Christensen, Tom Flores, and Steve Wisniewski.