Los Angeles Raiders
Los Angeles Raiders
1983

Los Angeles Raiders

"We were a dysfunctional group that thought dysfunction was function." - Howie Long
Howie Long
by Howie Long

In their second season after relocating from Oakland, the Los Angeles Raiders won Super Bowl XVIII. The Raiders won the AFC West with a 12-4 record. Then in the playoffs, Los Angeles scored at least 30 points in each of three playoff wins, culminating in a 38-9 victory over the Redskins. Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen, who rushed for 191 yards and 2 TDs as Super Bowl MVP, gained over 1,600 yards from scrimmage and scored 11 TDs, while tight end Todd Christensen was an All-Pro with a league-leading 92 receptions to go along a career-high 1,247 yards. With Tom Flores as head coach and Al Davis as owner and general manager, the Raiders ranked third in the NFL in scoring with 27.6 points per game. On defense, Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long had 13 sacks, 23-year-old free safety Vann McElroy had a Pro Bowl season with eight interceptions, and linebacker Rod Martin and cornerback Lester Hayes also earned Pro Bowl appearances.

Howie Long
Howie
Long
Howie Long, a former eight-time Pro Bowl defensive end for the Raiders from 1981 to 1993, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. Long, a Massachusetts native, totaled 84 career sacks and in January 1984 helped the Raiders beat the Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII. After retiring in 1993, Long became a studio analyst for the show, “Fox NFL Sunday,” and won an Emmy Award in 1997. In addition to his role on “NFL Sunday,” Long is an analyst for Thursday Night Football’s pregame and halftime shows.
Profession:
reporter
Place of Birth:
Somerville, MA
Preferred Team:
Oakland Raiders