Daryle Lamonica, ex-Raiders legend, dead at 80

Daryle Lamonica, the deep-throwing quarterback who won an AFL Player of the Yr award and led the Raiders to their first Tremendous Bowl visual appeal, has died. He was 80.

The Fresno County Sherriff’s Office environment claimed Lamonica handed absent at his Fresno home on Thursday early morning. His death is thought of to be from natural results in.

The Raiders obtained Lamonica in a trade from Buffalo in 1967, and he was quickly the perfect healthy for the vertical offense proprietor Al Davis coveted for his franchise.

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Nicknamed the “Mad Bomber,” Lamonica created an speedy impression in Oakland after beginning only four games in 4 seasons with the Payments.

Lamonica’s deep arm teamed up with receivers these kinds of as Warren Wells and Fred Biletnikoff and turned the Raiders into a powerhouse. They went 13-1 his very first time as Lamonica was a initially-workforce All-Pro and Online News 72h AFL Player of the Yr when he led the league with 30 touchdown passes.

Lamonica then threw two TD passes in a earn over Houston in the AFL title video game to deliver the Raiders to their 1st Super Bowl the place they misplaced 33-14 to Eco-friendly Bay.

In his 6 seasons as a starter for the Raiders, Lamonica was just one of the most prolific passers in the activity, major professional football with 145 TD passes — 24 a lot more than second-place Fran Tarkenton. His 16,006 passing yards rated 3rd from 1967-72.

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Oakland Raiders quarterback Daryle Lamonica is photographed during a recreation towards the Buffalo Expenses at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 18, 1969. 
(Image by Russ Reed/MediaNews Team/Oakland Tribune via Getty Images)

Lamonica was an All-Pro once more in 1969 when he led the AFL with 3,302 yards passing and 34 touchdowns. The 34 TDs continue to stand as the franchise’s single-year document additional than a half-century later.

Lamonica was at his best throughout the playoffs, throwing five TD passes in a 41-6 gain over Kansas Town in 1968 and a report 6 the pursuing time versus Houston. Only Steve Younger and Tom Brady have matched Lamonica’s six TD passes in a playoff activity and only Patrick Mahomes and Kurt Warner have several video games with at minimum 5.

Lamonica also played a starring part in 1 of the most unforgettable online games at any time, throwing 4 TD passes, which include the go-ahead score to Charlie Smith in a 43-32 get about the Jets in a game now identified as the “Heidi Activity” mainly because NBC reduce away from the finish on the East Coastline right before the Raiders comeback to present the kid’s film.

The “Heidi” recreation amongst The New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders on November 17, 1968.
(Picture by Monthly bill Young/San Francisco Chronicle by means of Getty Photos)

Lamonica was changed as the starter in 1973 by Ken Stabler and went to the World Football League the next time where by he completed his vocation.

Lamonica completed his career with 19,154 yards passing and 164 TDs. The Raiders went 62-16-6 in Lamonica’s begins for the ideal winning share for any starting off QB in the Tremendous Bowl era with at minimum 75 begins.

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Lamonica was born and raised in Fresno right before likely to college at Notre Dame. He was drafted in the 12th round by Environmentally friendly Bay and the 23rd spherical by the Expenditures in 1963 and opted to go to the AFL. He was a backup to Jack Kemp in Buffalo before getting to be a star in Oakland.