Former Raiders QB Daryle Lamoncia Dies at Age 80

Former NFL quarterback Daryle Lamonica died Thursday morning at the age of 80.

According to ESPN, the Fresno County Sheriff's Department said Lamonica died of natural causes. Lamonica spent the majority of his NFL career playing for the Oakland Raiders, who now reside in Las Vegas.

Lamonica was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the 1963 AFL draft but started only four games in four seasons for the team before being traded to the Raiders in 1967. His career blossomed in Oakland, where he earned the nickname the "Mad Bomber" because of his prowess with the deep ball.

With Lamonica under center and receivers such as Warren Wells and Fred Biletnikoff on the outside, the Raiders had a high-powered offense predicated on attacking through the air. In his first season with the team, Lamonica propelled the Raiders to a 13-1 record and their first trip to the Super Bowl, where they lost to the Green Bay Packers. He was named first-team All-Pro and the AP AFL Player of the Year after leading the league with 30 touchdown passes.

In his six-season run as a starter for the Raiders, Lamonica totaled 145 passing touchdowns, by far the most in that time span, along with 16,006 yards. He earned another All-Pro selection in 1969 when he led the AFL with 3,302 passing yards and 34 touchdowns, which remains a Raiders single-season franchise record to this day.

After the Raiders named Ken Stabler as the team's starter in 1973, Lamonica departed to the World Football League the following year and ended his playing career in 1975. He finished with a total of 19,154 yards and 164 touchdowns.

The Raiders went 62-16-6 in games Lamonica started, giving him the best winning percentage of any starting quarterback in the Super Bowl era with at least 75 starts.