Raiders: Ranking the top 5 linebackers in franchise history
By Allen Settle
4. Dan Conners, Raiders
Dan Conners chimes in next on our list despite playing a portion of his career before the NFL-AFL merger. The AFL legend was a three-time league All-Star and was also a key member of the Raiders’ AFL Championship victory in 1967.
Like others on this list, consistency was key for Conners.
The veteran played all 11 of his professional seasons with the Raiders’ franchise. His dominance in the middle of the field allows him to remain in the conversation of Raiders greats despite playing 50 years ago.
3. Greg Biekert, Raiders
Unlike Villapiano and Conners, Greg Biekert’s statistics clearly show his dominance as a tackling machine. His 704 solo tackles rank behind only safety Eddie Anderson. His 24 career tackles for a loss also rank in the top-20 in team history.
The former Colorado star barely managed to hear his name called in the seventh round of the 1993 NFL Draft. However, the fringe talent would steady the Raiders’ defense for nearly a decade.
While he may not have the individual awards as the other players on this list, his contributions should not be understated. He even aided the team by joining the staff as a linebackers coach as recently as 2010-2011.
Biekert was poised to become a household name when he recovered a pivotal fumble in the 2002 AFC divisional playoff game against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
However, his part in a franchise-altering play was negated due to the infamous “Tuck Rule” call that cost the Raiders the possession and the game.