On July 8, 2015, former Alabama quarterback and NFL legend Ken Stabler passed away in Gulfport, Mississippi, at 69-years-old.
The family of the Pro Football Hall-of-Famer released a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter) this morning on the 10th anniversary of his death. Here's the full message:
"Today marks 10 years since we lost our Dad & Papa Snake –– a legend, a leader, a father, a grandfather and a true original.
"From his days at the University of Alabama to his unforgettable years with the Oakland Raiders, and later with the Oilers and Saints, Ken played with unmatched passion, fearlessness, and that cool, calm swagger that made him a fan favorite across the nation.
"After hanging up the cleats, he brought the same insight and charisma to the booth –– calling games for CBS Sports, TNT, and his beloved Crimson Tide Sports Network.
"He loved the game, but more than that –– he loved the people. The fans. The teammates. The stories. The moments that made football more than a sport –– a family.
"Thank you to everyone who's kept his spirit alive all these years. Your stories, your messages, your love –– it means everything to our family.
"He was a Hall of Fame quarterback, but more importantly- he was a Hall of Fame Dad and Papa-our beloved Snake.
"Forever Loved. Forever Missed. Forever #12."
During his 10 seasons with the Raiders, all in Oakland (1970-79), Stabler was the league’s offensive player of the year in 1974, and both the player of the year and passing champion in 1976. Named All-Pro (and twice a second-team selection), he became the Raiders’ all-time leader in pass attempts, completions, completion percentage, yards and touchdowns. It all culminated with his leading Oakland to the 32-14 victory against Minnesota in Super Bowl XI.
But before Stabler's illustrious professional career mostly under head coach John Madden, the 1974 NFL MVP excelled with the Crimson Tide under head coach Paul W. "Bear" Bryant. Stabler was a student-athlete at Alabama from 1964-67. He served as Steve Sloan's backup in 1965 following the NFL Draft departure of Joe Namath, but took over as the starter in 1966––leading Alabama to an 11-0 season capped by a Sugar Bowl victory and a No. 3 placement in the final polls.
Alabama finished 8-2-1 during Stabler's senior year, but he was named an All-SEC First Team member after leading the conference in attempts, completions, completion percentage and touchdown passes. This convinced the Raiders to select him with the 52nd overall pick of the 1968 NFL Draft and the rest is history.