A Basic History of the Oakland Raiders Football Team

The Oakland Raiders are a professional football team that plays in the National Football League. The Raiders play in the West Division of the American Football Conference.

The Raiders were founded in 1960 when they became a part of the Western Division of the American Football League. In 1970, the team joined the NFL as part of the NFL-AFL merger.

The team was the Oakland Raiders from 1960-1981, but owner Al Davis moved the team to Los Angeles prior to the 1982 season. After the 1994 season, Davis returned the team to its current location in Oakland, California.

In the history of the Raiders, the team has won a total of fifteen Division Championships. The Raiders won three AFL West titles from 1967-1969 and twelve AFC West titles in 1970, 1972-1976, 1983, 1985, 1990, and 2000-2002. The Raiders have won four AFC Championships in 1976, 1980, 1983, and 2002. The Raiders won the Super Bowl three of those years in 1976, 1980, and 1983. The team also won one AFL Championship in 1967.

The Raiders have played their home games in five different locations in franchise history. In 1960, the team played in Kezar Stadium. In 1961, the team played its home games in Candlestick Park, later home to the San Francisco 49ers. From 1962-1965, the Raiders played at Frank Youell Field. In 1966, the Raiders began playing at their current location, Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

From 1982-1994, during the team's time in Los Angeles, the Raiders played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, home to the USC Trojans college football program. In 1995, the team returned to Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum and continues to play there, although it is currently known as McAfee Coliseum and was known as Network Associates Coliseum for a five-year span.

The Oakland Raiders are currently in their first season under new head coach Lane Kiffin. Al Davis is the owner and general manager of the Raiders. The official team colors are silver and black.

The Raiders have eleven former players currently enshrined in the National Football Hall of Fame. Those eleven players are Marcus Allen, Fred Biletnikoff, George Blanda, Willie Brown, Dave Casper, Mike Haynes, Ted Hendricks, Howie Long, Jim Otto, Art Shell, and Gene Upshaw. Former head coach John Madden is enshrined for his coaching career with the Raiders from 1969-1978. Al Davis is also a member of the Hall of Fame for his work as a team and league administrator.

The Raiders franchise does not have any retired numbers because it does not retire numbers of former players.