A lot of noise was generated when Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell came out wearing the No. 4 for the Silver and Black last year, the same number that had been worn by former Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.
According to Raiders digital team reporter Levi Edwards, O’Connell is now going to be donning another number that has been historically prominent in the Raiders’ quarterback room — the No. 12.
The number was worn by Raiders legends Ken Stabler and Rich Gannon.
Stabler, a Hall-of-Fame quarterback, was the league MVP and Offensive Player of the Year in 1974 and led the Silver and Black to its first-ever Super Bowl title in 1977 (Super Bowl XI). Stabler played 10 of his 15 NFL seasons for the Oakland Raiders, who drafted him in the second round of the 1968 NFL Draft.
Stabler is second among the franchise’s all-time passing leaders (19,078). He trails only Carr, who recorded 35,222 passing yards in his career with the Silver and Black.
Gannon, another legendary Raiders quarterback, earned himself an MVP as well, earning the award for his 2002 season. He led the Silver and Black to the Super Bowl that season, where it ultimately fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Gannon spent the last six of his 17 NFL seasons (missed the 1994 season due to a shoulder injury) with the Raiders. He is third on the franchise’s all-time passing leaderboard, having thrown for 17,585 yards during his time in Oakland.
O’Connell has some very big shoes to fill, but that’s nothing he isn’t used to. It is still to be determined if he will still be the franchise’s starting quarterback going forward, as he as a big offseason battle with fellow quarterback Gardner Minshew II looming.
Other Raiders who will be changing their numbers going into this upcoming season are running backs Zamir White (No. 3) and Ameer Abdullah (No. 8), as well as safety Tre’von Moehrig (No. 7) and defensive tackle Marquan McCall (No. 52).