It was a home game. [The World Football League] had been calling me and calling me. Maybe I could be a starting quarterback., In 1967, Lamonica and wide receiver Glenn Bass were traded to the Oakland Raiders for wide receiver Art Powell and quarterback Tom Flores. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. "He seems to be doing it sooner than we had expected. Subscribe to theUS day News newsletterinbox to receive celebrities daily news. Daryle Lamonica received that nickname from broadcaster Howard Cosell. I called my mom and she said that Al Davis had called and wanted me to call., Lamonica remembered, I called Al [Davis] and met with him the next day. I fished the Pro Bass circuit for a number of years. The Raiders Family is deeply saddened to learn of Daryle Lamonicas passing earlier today. He signed with the Bills and later starred for the Oakland Raiders. Announcer Howard Cosell reportedly gave him the nickname The Mad Bomber in 1967 for his penchant of throwing deep passes. After the game, I had a scout come up to me and said, Here is a $100,000 bonus and a $100,000 contract. I didnt know there was that much money in pro football. "It was an exciting time," Lamonica said of the AFL's 10-year run. Maybe that is not such a bad nickname. It stuck and that is what I ended up with., Lamonica grew up in rural California. A big part of my heart is still there because they gave me the opportunity to be a professional quarterback. When asked if there were any hard feelings toward the Buffalo Bills organization, Lamonica said, No. He won the Pro Football Writers of Americas Dick Connor Writing Award for Feature Writing and was named the Ralph Hay Award winner by the Professional Football Researchers Association for lifetime achievement on pro football history. I dont know where he came up with that one. Stabler replaced Lamonica as Raiders starter in 1973, and in 1975 Lamonica played for the World Football League's Southern California Sun. We always go there, but were never able to close. The Fresno County Sheriff's Office said Lamonica died at his Fresno, California, home on Thursday morning. Lamonica was at his best during the playoffs, throwing five TD passes in a 41-6 win over Kansas City in 1968 and a record six the following season against Houston. My mom used to send me $5 a week from her tip money from her beauty shop and that was my spending money. I had to improve in a hurry because I knew they were counting on me. In 1973, he was benched in favor of fourth-year quarterback Ken Stabler. IE 11 is not supported. He was visiting our house one day, in the early 70's, Daryle threw me a long pass, in front of my brother's and our friends. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. He was a community leader and a family man. I had to improve in a hurry because I knew they were counting on me. Eight hours later, I was traded. That is how much I loved it., Commenting on the Raiders fans, Lamonica said, They were special and they still are. I looked at their upcoming schedule and the third league game was Buffalo in Buffalo. He had a wonderful career in football. I mentioned before that we would have played for nothing. He joked, In retrospect, we probably did., After retirement, Lamonica focused on the trucking business. Oakland Raiders quarterback Daryle Lamonica sets up to pass in a 1972 20-14 win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. "The Mad Bomber," a nickname given him by Howard Cosell for his long touchdown passes. By playing regularly, the game plan is becoming second nature to me. Daryle spoke at our 1977 Palmer High School football banquet. Daryle was my father's hunting partner, and friend for nearly 50 years. He guided them to four back-to-back division championships between 1967 and 1970 and succeeded to lead the Raiders to Super Bowl II. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Now, it's just one urban sprawl. The one thing about Al is that you could always talk football with him. His 16,006 yards passing ranked third from 1967-72. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Lamonica's 34 TD passes in 1969 still stand as the Raiders' single-season franchise record, 53 years later, and he had a starring role in one of the most famous games in pro football history -- the Heidi Game, in which he threw four TD passes, including the game winner to Charlie Smith. Ironically, the Raiders' opponent in Super Bowl II, Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers, was the NFL team that drafted Lamonica in the 12th round of the 1963 NFL Draft. "The Raider Nation will forever miss his easy-going nature and warm smile. I had to improve in a hurry because I knew they were counting on me. Daryle Lamonica, a legendary Raiders quarterback who led the franchise to its first Super Bowl berth, has died at the age of 80. The Raiders acquired Lamonica in a trade from Buffalo in 1967 and he was immediately the perfect fit for the vertical offense owner Al Davis coveted for his franchise. He threw a league-high 30 touchdowns in 1967 while going 12-1-1 as a starter. According to official sources, Police and an ambulance were called to Daryle Lamonicas home in Fresno to investigate a possible natural passing. Daryle Lamonica speaks at a news conference as part of Oakland Raiders alumni weekend after a Raiders NFL football practice in Napa, Calif., on July 28, 2018. I got under center and I looked out at the left corner. Daryle Lamonica, former Raiders standout quarterback, dies at 80. Now what we've got to watch out for is not to let ourselves get fatheaded.". Before he became a professional role in his career, the star grew up in the Central Valley, playing as an all-state quarterback at Clovis High School. Lamonica played in the first Little League World Series. Lamonica, who played quarterback for the Raiders between a pair of Hall of Famers in Tom Flores and Ken Stabler, was initially drafted into the AFL by the Buffalo Bills out of Notre Dame in 1963. I was getting ready to go out and play in the East-West Shrine Game. WebLamonica and his wife, Mary, have been married since 1970 and they have one son, Brandon, who was born in 1977. star matched the thrilling dress with a pink shade of eyeshadow and a touch of blush. Trailing 27-23, the Raiders had a first down on the New York 12. Born and raised in Fresno -- he prepped at Clovis High School -- Lamonica was drafted by the Packers in the 12th round of the NFL draft in 1963 and the 23rd round of the AFL draft by the Bills. BBC's 1million star Zoe Ball, 52, lands big new payday for Abba show on ITV. So heartbroken to announce that we have just been informed that former Raiders Quarterback and Clovis native Daryle Lamonicas cause of death is behind the shadows after he sadly passed away on April 21, 2022, at the age of 80. WebBirth Name: Daryle Patrick Lamonica Occupation: Football Player Born In: California, United States Birthdate: July 17, 1941 Age: 81 years old (as of 2023) Ethnicity: White Mr. Daryle Lamonica was a Sincerely, There was only one professional athlete or entertainer I always wanted to meet and get an autograph from. "The Raider Nation will forever miss his easy-going nature and warm smile. Melbourne woman Stephanie That set the groundwork for Lamonicas career. Daryle Lamonica, the first Raiders quarterback to ever play in a playoff game, passed away at the age of 80, according to FOX 26 News. Lamonica threw a swing pass to running back Charlie Smith, but it went behind Smith, so it was a lateral. 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That season, Lamonica led the AFL in 3,302 yards and 34 touchdowns while helping lead the Raiders to the AFL's final title game before the AFL-NFL merger. Is Daryle Lamonica in the Hall of Fame? I'm getting to the point where I can see situations on the field and use plays, in special instances, that aren't even in our game plan. Daryle Lamonica, the aptly nicknamed "Mad Bomber" thanks to his affinity for the deep pass, and who led the Raiders to their first Super Bowl when he won the 1967 AFL MVP award, has died at the age of 80. It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Daryle Lamonica of Fresno, California, born in Clovis, California, who passed away on April 21, 2022, at the age of 80, leaving to mourn family and friends. Michaela Jae Rodriguez put on a very leggy display at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California, on Saturday. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. 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In 1974, the high school named its football stadium after him. He threw two TD passes in the Raiders' 40-7 AFL title-game win over the Houston Oilers and had two more TD passes in the 33-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl II.