Since the beginning of time, it seems there has been a stigma that comes with those who suit up for the Silver and Black. They are criminals, or thugs, who are menaces to society. Whether it’s the Oakland or Las Vegas Raiders, this is the shadow that’s followed the team’s players around in the eyes of fans, and sometimes extending to media figureheads.
However, recent research has shown that this narrative is not true. It almost couldn’t be more false, in fact.
A graphic made by Pickinem shows that the team with the most arrests since 2015 is the Kansas City Chiefs, with 16 arrests within their organization.
On the opposing side, Sin City only has seven. Not only is this number less than half of the league-leading club, but it’s a mere two away from tying for least within the entirety of the National Football League.
USA Today created a database with all of the arrests in the NFL since 2000. Using this database as reference, Pickinem’s graphic holds to be factual. Going back to this date, the turn of the century, the Raiders fall outside of the top-half of the league in most arrests.
So where does this stigma come from? Perhaps from the late 1900’s when the Silver and Black were considered the “Bad boys” of the NFL. In any case, it’s a label that doesn’t have any accuracy attached to it.
However, there is not one, but two AFC West teams who live up to that stigma.
There’s no accuracy in the “Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders players are criminals” stigma. However..
The name “ChiefsAHolic” may ring a bell, as the Kansas City Chiefs fan became a recently renown name. Xaviar Babudar, the Chiefs super-fan better known as ChiefsAHolic, even has a documentary on his criminal life. He was indicted for over 17 years in prison for 11 robberies in seven different states for almost $1 million.
Even the fans of Kansas City’s football team seem to have substantial criminal history.
As a club, the Chiefs have had multiple player arrests recently as well. Aggravated assault was the reasoning behind Rashee Rice’s arrest. Following this arrest, Rice continued to be a major target on offense prior to suffering an injury. He never faced any penalty from the team.
Willie Gay is another interesting case from the Chiefs organization. Domestic violence and property damages were his charges. He was a major piece of Kansas City’s defensive core at the time. In 2022, the two-time Super Bowl champion linebacker damaged property to a vacuum cleaner, wall, and door frame.
Overall, these incidents have contributed to the league-high 16 arrests the Kansas City Chiefs’ organization has totaled since 2015–three more than any other team.
From 2000 onward, no club has had more arrests than the Denver Broncos, whose 47 total arrests equates to 22 more than the Raiders. Perhaps Denver is the team that deserves this stigma the most.
Even the Seahawks have had more arrests
Driving under the influence of alcohol is not an uncommon crime among athletes. However, it is uncommon for such an arrest to be on a quarterback. Drunk driving, along with speeding, led to a Geno Smith arrest.
But as much as driving under the influence of alcohol is simply not okay, it doesn’t automatically make a player a “thug,” or anything of the sort. Still, an arrest is an arrest.
The most shocking arrest comes from Tamorrion Terry in 2021. This was a gang-related shooting that occurred in 2018 at a nightclub. Seven people were shot at the scene. By all means, this is the definition of a criminal, and a crime that does indeed welcome the label of a thug.
And one shouldn’t forget Chad Wheeler’s horrific domestic violence incident against his then-girlfriend in 2021 that led to his arrest. Wheeler was charged with three counts of felony domestic violence.
But back to the Raiders.
Since 2000, only nine teams across the NFL have had less arrests within their organization than the Silver and Black. And since 2015, the combination of Oakland and Las Vegas professional football player arrests is two less than the club with the least league-wide.
In comparison to their peers, those who play for Mark Davis‘ team do well to keep out of trouble as a whole. This has been the case since the turn of the century, when Mark’s father, Al, was running the show.
Let’s change the narrative: The Raiders are not the criminals of the NFL, point blank, period.
*Top Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie/ USA Today Sports
Raiders Mock Draft: GM John Spytek Revamps Chip Kelly’s Offense
The post Change the Narrative: The Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders Players Are Not Criminals appeared first on The Raider Ramble.