Oakland Raiders: 5 Of The Greatest Receivers In Team History

Aug 3, 2013; Canton, OH, USA; Fred Biletnikoff (center) at the 2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Fawcett Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Number Three: Fred Biletnikoff

Biletnikoff is a legend among NFL receivers. There is a possibly – probably likely – apocryphal story that says Al Davis, after selecting him with the eleventh overall pick back in 1965, had signed Biletnikoff on the field after the final whistle of his final game at Florida State.

At 6’1”, 190 lbs., Biletnikoff was a beanpole of a receiver, but he was a beanpole that could fly down that field – which explains Davis’ fascination with him. It was perhaps, one of the greatest signings in Raiders history, as Biletnikoff went on to play fourteen seasons with the Silver and Black, capping his remarkable career with his well earned induction into the NFL Hall of Fame.

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Remarkable for his durability, Biletnikoff was even more remarkable for the fact that he had the ability to come down with almost anything put in the air. He had a knack for making the one-handed, acrobatic circus style catches with defensive backs draped all over him. It was one of his most impressive skills.

Over his fourteen seasons with the Raiders, Biletnikoff earned six Pro Bowl nominations, and was named the Most Valuable Player for his efforts in a Super Bowl XI win for the Raiders. He had 8,974 yards on 589 receptions – a career average of 15 yards per catch – and chipped in 76 touchdowns.

He is rightly considered a legend, and spent two decades as a coach with the organization, mentoring Oakland’s young receivers.

He was one of the Raiders’ greatest receivers in any era. Period. The reason though, that he’s slotted number three in this article rather than the top spot, is because he also had an advantage other Raider receivers didn’t – he used Stickum like it was going out of style – which could help explain some of his more acrobatic, one-handed receptions.

Despite the fact that he used a substance – legal at the time – to aid in his receiving abilities, Biletnikoff remains one of the greatest not just of the Raiders, but of the NFL of all time.

Next: Number Two