Raiders Legend Daryle Lamonica has Died

The Las Vegas Raiders have lost legendary quarterback Daryle Lamonica.

The heartbreaking news was confirmed on Thursday morning to a local news affiliate in Fresno, FOX26 News.

Police and an ambulance were called to Lamonica’s home in Fresno to investigate a potential natural death. Lamonica’s son Brandon confirmed to FOX26 News that his father had passed away at the age of 80.

Lamonica, who had over 30 schools interested in him, decided to attend the University of Notre Dame. A school that was not known for throwing the ball.

After graduating from ND in 1963, he was drafted by both Buffalo Bills in the AFL and the Green Bay Packers in the NFL.

Known as the “Fireman” then, he would come off the bench and score some points and give offenses a spark.

He was known to be the best backup quarterback at that time.

After speaking to the Bills days before the first Modern-Day NFL Draft in 1967, he was told that he was going to return as the starting quarterback of the Bills and eight hours later he was traded to the Oakland Raiders.

Acquired with Glenn Bass in a trade with the Bills in exchange for Tom Flores and Art Powell.

The following season, he circled the game against Buffalo and started going to work, the rest is history.

Lamonica was the first Raiders quarterback to throw over 3,000 yards in a single season.

With the Raiders, he was known as the "Mad Bomber.” Lamonica finished his career as the third leading passer in Raiders history, completing 1,138 of 2,248 pass attempts for 16,655 yards, 148 TDs, and 115 INTs. He led the team to the 1967 AFL Championship and the franchise's first Super Bowl birth.

“It was always us and we, I never recalled I, I or me, me. That’s why we won,” said Lamonica on Once a Raider, Always a Raider.

The Raiders made the postseason five times from 1967-72 with Lamonica behind center, winning at least one playoff game on four of those trips. He was twice named AFL MVP.

He was the first quarterback in franchise history to reach the playoffs and win their first championship in Oakland.

Raider Nation may have lost his presence, but his soul and his legacy on and off the field as a Raider will always live on.

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