It's been over four years since Ken Stabler passed away due to complications with colon cancer, but Stabler's legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks the NFL has ever seen will live on forever. During his occupancy in the NFL, Stabler was known for his cool demeanor but his autobiography, Snake (1986), later revealed how he and the Raiders were the only team to travel with their very own bail bondsman. Not only was Stabler a badass off the field, he was one hell of a football player on the field as well. Stabler attended the University of Alabama from 1964 to 1967 where he wouldn't receive starting quarterback honors until his junior year. That same season, Stabler led the Crimson Tide to an undefeated 11-0 record and defeated Nebraska 34-7 in the 1967 Sugar Bowl. In his senior year, Stabler would make history with his 'Run in the Mud' scramble that helped solidify a Crimson Tide 7-3 victory over Auburn in the 1967 Iron Bowl.
Ken Stabler was selected 52nd overall in the second round of the 1968 NFL Draft by the defending AFL Champion Oakland Raiders. That same year, Stabler was drafted by the Houston Astros as well as the New York Mets and Yankees in previous years for his talent on the baseball field. However, Stabler would go on to play ten years out his fifteen-year NFL career with the Oakland Raiders. Ken who earned the nickname 'Snake' for being an elusive scrambler would lead the Raiders to victory in Super Bowl XI against the Minnesota Vikings. The shifty quarterback would also gain recognition for leading the NFL touchdown passes twice (1974, 1976), getting invited to the Pro Bowl a total of four times, and becoming NFL MVP in 1974. Stabler became a cultural icon in Oakland before closing out his NFL career with short stints with the Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints after the 1984 season.