"The Autumn Wind is a Stabler,” is how the Oakland Raiders theme song should begin. We always talk about ‘glory years’ with a sense of nostalgia, a sense of better times, a sense of purity. The glory years for the Raiders, however, are always about how they created a culture appreciated by past and present generations alike. There is nothing nostalgic about the idea of The Autumn Wind because today’s Raiders embody the same spirit and ideologies of the '70s Raiders – and those '70s Raiders moved and functioned through a wild era of NFL football at the pace that Kenny Stabler took them. If Al Davis represented the Raiders in the flesh, Stabler was its unequivocal soul.
On Saturday, Stabler will finally find his rightful place in the NFL’s Hall of Fame. Stabler was always one of those guys whose personality outshone his career, which is more a testament to how far, varied and extensive the mythology connected to him is. During his playing days, Stabler only finished a single season with a losing record – spanning from high school to college at Alabama to all of his years in the NFL. Stabler played in five consecutive AFC Championship games with the Raiders, led the NFL in passing yards twice, completion percentage twice, won a Super Bowl and an NFL MVP. Nothing is missing from his resume, and yet he’s rarely br ought up in conversations about the NFL’s greatest passers.
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Stabler wasn’t just a quarterback, he was a living, breathing, partying doctrine for what it meant to be a Raider. The late '60s in Oakland began setting the tone for an organizational culture unique to any in sports. The team took chances on outcasts, outliers and those who would be out of work if not for the silver and black. The people of Oakland are as anti-establishment by nature as any group defined by geography in the nation, and the Raiders took on that identity during the peak of the civil right’s movement. The Raiders weren’t necessarily political in that sense, but they turned their back to the status quo and didn’t allow the power elite of the NFL to dictate how they ran their club or how the players handle themselves on the field.
This ethos carried over into the '70s, and the swashbuckling swagger of Stabler was the driving force behind the team taking the baton from the first leg of a decade’s-long relay. When Stabler wasn’t leading his troops on the field, he was getting them in trouble off it. In his autobiography, Snake , he tells wild stories about sneaking out during training camps to get drunk with his boys, Playboy mansion parties and chasing women until the wee hours of the morning before a big game – sometimes against the wishes of John Madden, and at times against the wishes of the NFL. Stabler lived his life in a constant search for the things that would make him happy, and a happy Stabler off the field only made him better on it. He lived the way Leo Tolstoy saw the world, striving to have all the things we can and cannot control.
"Our life is a quest for gratification. There is physical gratification in health, in satisfying the lusts of the body, in wealth, sexual love, fame, honor, power. All these gratifications 1) are outside our control, 2) may be taken away from us at any moment by death, and 3) are not accessible to everyone,” began Tolstoy in a journal entry in the late 19th Century. Stabler had all of these things during his career. The women, the success, the fame, the money and the honor. He didn’t play football for these things, but he earned them because of the way he played.
"But there is another kind of gratification,” Tolstoy continued. “The spiritual, the love for others, which 1) is always in our control, 2) is not taken from us by death, and we can die loving, and 3) not only is accessible to all, but the more people live for it, the more joy there will be."
This is what made Stabler the Snake, and this is why he was able to capture the zeitgeist of an organizational culture all on his own. Those who played with him, those who called him a friend and those who called him family all loved him. Stabler, who quit the Raiders during his rookie year because of knee issues and homesickness, had a rather unorthodox start to his career. After a couple of seasons off, he flew with an attorney named Henry Pitts to meet with new head coach John Madden about rejoining the team.
As the story goes, there was a point in the meeting where Madden got out of his chair, lumbered over to the secretary’s desk and asked her to lock the doors because he didn’t want Stabler to leave until he was officially a Raider again. Stabler played behind Daryle Lamonica for a few years hoping for a shot to lead a team that would ultimately become his own, and received that shot in the 1973 season, winning eight of the 11 games he started. Stabler left his stamp on the field during that first season but didn’t leave his stamp on the organization until he became a veteran comfortable in his role as the Raiders’ signal caller. Stabler was a free-wheeled man off the field, and that became his identity on it, taking chances to squeeze a tight pass between a pair of defenders or to hit a tightly covered Fred Biletnikoff up the sideline for a 60-yard bomb. He was a free spirit, and he was a fighter.
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There’s an old black and white photo of Stabler wearing a black shirt tucked into white pants with the words “SILVER & BLACK ATTACK” written in all caps across his chest. He’s standing on the football field with blocking sleds behind him. With a short haircut and a full beard, he’s looking directly into the camera whilst flipping the bird. The general sentiment is ostensibly how he handled all of his post-career challenges.
On July 8, 2015, Stabler passed away with colon cancer. In William Browning’s fantastic feature for SBNation, he paints a picture of an aging Stabler, losing his strength via chemotherapy, literally fighting off the disease. For four months, Stabler spent time in his garage throwing punches at a speed bag and a heavy bag. From Browning:
He had bought some boxing equipment — a speedbag and a heavy bag — and he set them up in the garage, beside a stationary bicycle. For the next four months, when he had the energy, Stabler walked alone into the garage and threw punches until he couldn’t throw anymore. Faced with his own mortality at 69, that is how he responded. By balling up his fists and swinging.
It surprised no one that Stabler would spend his time fighting. He always went out on his own terms, and would do anything to ensure victory. In a win over the San Diego Chargers, Stabler fumbled on purpose to keep a play alive – a play that ended with tight end Dave Casper falling on the football in the end zone to secure a 21-20 victory described as “the most zany, unbelievable, absolutely impossible dream of a play” by broadcaster Bill King. In a 1977 playoff game, Stabler would hit Casper for a 42-yard gain late in the fourth against the Baltimore Colts, a play that would later be dubbed ‘Ghost To The Post.’ The play set up a game-tying field goal, sending the game into overtime. 43 seconds into overtime, Stabler found Casper again for the game-winning touchdown
In his only trip to the Super Bowl, he led a 90-second game-winning drive to unseat the 2-time defending Super Bowl champion Dolphins in an exhilarating 28-26 victory. Stabler was hit from behind as he floated a pass to Clarence Davis, who came down with the ball with three Miami defenders draped all over him. Stabler grew accustomed to beating the odds, and when he didn’t his opponent had a hell of a time talking him down – and the same would go for the colon cancer that would ultimately take his life.
Stabler’s fighting didn’t end with his death. As requested, doctors removed his brain the day after he died and was sent to scientists in Massachusetts. They found that Stabler had high Stage 3 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) on a 1 to 4 scale. During his final years, the disease, it is believed, was the cause for him losing some of his mental sharpness and some of the verve that made him who he was during his playing days. Some of his motor functions started to deteriorate, bright lights and loud noises bothered him, and he was often found by family members repeating himself during his last year. And yet, with all of this going on, he had the presence of mind to want this study completed after he was gone. According to the New York Times, Stabler’s partner Kim Bush asked him point blank if this is a study he wanted to be a part of. His answer, "Yeah, I want to do that. I should definitely do that."
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There aren’t many characters quite like Ken Stabler. He was an incredibly flawed human, but he owned those flaws and turned them into a way of living for a sub-culture of football players. Stabler won football games; he won over his locker room, and he won over a legion of misfits all over the country who felt like, if given the opportunity, the could be great, too. Stabler was enshrined in our collective hearts decades ago, but his bust will live in Canton for as long as football exists. The Autumn Wind is a Raider, and moving forward, Stabler's legacy will breeze through The East Bay as a member of the NFL’s Hall of Fame.
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders appeared to be frustrated with Kevin Stefanski when the head coach took him out for the final offensive drive of Saturday's preseason game. The Browns made a curious decision to put in Tyler Huntley to lead the offense in the final two minutes of their final preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams at Huntington Bank Field. Huntley, who has almost no chance of making the 53-man roster, engineered a six-play, 46-yard drive that ended in a game-winning field goal to give the Browns a 19-17 win. Following the game, Stefanski was asked about why Sanders approached him before Huntley went in. Stefanski claimed the rookie quarterback was just being a competitor, and there was nothing more to it than that, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Sanders told reporters he didn't know the Browns were benching him for the two-minute drill. "I didn't know I was out, Sanders said via video from ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi. "I was on a bike that was powering up... I was powering up for that two-minute drive. Because that's just a situation every quarterback dreams for... I thought I was in. So then (Stefanski) told me I wasn't in. I was like, 'Ok.'" Sanders left the game after leading the offense to five straight punts. He struggled in his second preseason appearance, going 3-of-6 passing for 14 yards. The fifth-round pick took six sacks for -50 yards. Sanders didn't want to leave on that low note. The Browns shouldn't have let him. Stefanski should have given Sanders the chance to run the two-minute offense and gain valuable experience instead of giving reps to a player who won't be on the roster by Tuesday afternoon.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a rash of injuries following the 2025 preseason, headlined by an MCL Sprain to first-round pick defensive end Derrick Harmon in their third and final game. However, there might not be anyone they need to get healthy more than wide receiver Calvin Austin III, who suffered an oblique injury early in camp and has yet to play in 2025. With depth lacking at the position, the Steelers will need Austin to be ready to go right away - and they just received a promising update regarding his status. With the team practicing on Saturday, the status of several players was brought up by Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin. "It's good to get guys working their way back. We have some guys that have been limited in their participation and less so today. Guys like Calvin Anderson, Calvin Austin, Jonnu [Smith], [Cory] Trice, Juan [Thornhill], and Donte Kent," Tomlin explained. While Austin had been practicing individually the past few days, he missed all three preseason games for Pittsburgh. Austin was less than clear when asked if he would be ready for Week 1, so it's good to get some confirmation that he is ramping up and the team is optimistic. Austin, the 5'9" speed threat out of Memphis, had a breakout year in 2024. After not playing his rookie season and having a limited role in 2023, Austin had a career high 36 receptions, 548 yards, and 4 touchdowns in his latest season. It wouldn't be a surprise to see those numbers explode even more in 2025 with new quarterback Aaron Rodgers under center, but first, Austin has to get healthy. Steelers Getting Healthier As Regular Season Approaches As Tomlin mentioned, several other faces returned to practice in addition to Austin. Among those were new tight end Jonnu Smith, who was traded to the Steelers from the Miami Dolphins in June after a career season. Smith hasn't played in a game yet either this year, although it's less clear if his absence was injury related or simply a matter of resting a veteran. Other returning players include cornerback Cory Trice, safety Juan Thornhill, offensive tackle Calvin Anderson, and defensive back Donte Kent. While getting all of these players back is crucial, there's no position that's thinner for Pittsburgh than wide receiver. Without Austin in the lineup, the Steelers are depending on Roman Wilson, who played just 5 snaps in 2024, to fill the role of WR2 behind DK Metcalf. Wilson showed a lot of promise in college at Michigan, and has had a strong preseason, but has yet to prove it in the regular season. The Steelers are aware that they lack receiver depth as well, and are still open to bringing in outside help at the position. On Tuesday, free agent wide receiver Gabe Davis had a second visit with the team, although he left without a contract. While the Steelers are depending on a number of players in the 2025 season, there's not a position group they can afford an injury to less than wide receiver. If an injury were to strike Metcalf or Austin again, the outlook would be bleak. While there's still no promise that Austin will be ready to suit up for Week 1, his participation in practice is surely a step in the right direction.
Former punter Pat McAfee is receiving an honor that is rare for a special teams member. On Friday, West Virginia announced that McAfee was one of six players entering the program's Hall of Fame for the 2025 class. McAfee is thankful for the recognition from his former school. He used some strong language to react to WVU's reveal. "It was nice to have an opportunity to think back and reminisce about a great era of my life," McAfee posted on X. "I am so thankful for the recognition. This is normally something I would try and f------ hate.. I’d say that it’s b------- and they feel obligated to do this but; this call made my soul feel good. Thanks for the opportunity to be a Mountaineer @RealCoachRod.. it was an honor." McAfee was a highly productive specialist at West Virginia, earning First-team All-American honors in 2008. During his time with the Mountaineers, he set the school record for most games played (51), scoring (384) and extra points made (210). He held the Big East record for most extra points made, when he made 210 of 212 attempts. McAfee's success at West Virginia propelled the Indianapolis Colts to select him in the seventh round of the 2009 draft. He earned All-Pro honors in 2014 and made the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2016. He has the highest career net average in punting years with 41.1. McAfee should be proud of his achievements during his days in college and the legacy he is building with the program. The ESPN pundit even used his influence to speak with WVU athletic director Wren Baker to help with the coaching search that ultimately brought back Rich Rodriguez to the school.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow finished fourth in Most Valuable Player Award voting for the 2024 season after his club missed the playoffs. During a recent chat with NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Burrow put the league on notice regarding how he's feeling heading into the upcoming campaign. "I’m not sure I would say anyone is playing the position better than I am right now," Burrow remarked. "I'm pretty confident in my ability to go out and do that every Sunday. Now, it’s just showing that consistency, showing it year in and year out. I think what separates the legends is being able to do it year in, year out for five, 10 years at a time. So, trying to be able to find that consistency in my discipline and my process, doing the easy stuff in my sleep and then making the hard stuff look easy, then making a couple of great plays here and there, that’s what I am trying to do every week." Pro Football Reference stats show that Burrow ended the 2024 regular season leading the league with 460 completions, 652 pass attempts, 4,918 passing yards, 43 passing touchdowns and an average of 289.3 passing yards per game. The Bengals subsequently rewarded their QB1 during the offseason by signing wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, wideout Tee Higgins and tight end Mike Gesicki to new deals. "We want to be the best offense in the NFL," Burrow told Breer. That said, Bengals pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson remains in the middle of what's become an ugly contract standoff. Hendrickson is in the final year of his existing deal, and the two sides seemingly aren't close to agreeing on the amount of guaranteed money that would be attached to an extension. Burrow has repeatedly made it known throughout the summer that he thinks the Bengals should "reward" Hendrickson with a pay raise. "...I think the more that I can explain the thoughts of the locker room, explain why doing one thing one way might affect feelings in the locker room, as opposed to doing something a different way, it’s my job as a quarterback to be able to relay information like that," Burrow said about campaigning for Hendrickson to get paid before Cincinnati opens the 2025 season at the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 7. "And whatever their decisions are with that information, that’s for them to decide." On Friday, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Bengals at -140 odds to make the playoffs this season. Having a happy Hendrickson in the lineup would only improve Cincinnati's chances of enjoying what could become a special campaign.