Former Raiders QB Ken Stabler dies at 69

Ken Stabler, a star NFL quarterback who led the Oakland Raiders to a Super Bowl championship in 1977, has died at age 69, WPMI television in Alabama reported on Thursday.

Stabler, who was nicknamed “The Snake,” died in Gulfport, Mississippi, the television channel said, citing the president of the Kenny Stabler Foundation.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the reports.

Stabler played with the Oakland Raiders through most of the 1970s. He then spent two years with the Houston Oilers before winding up his career with the New Orleans Saints in 1984.

In his 15 seasons, he threw for 194 touchdowns and 27,938 yards. He was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and the NFL player of the year in 1976.

He also had a successful college career with Alabama’s “Crimson Tide,” where he played under legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. The team won the Orange Bowl in 1966 and the Sugar Bowl in 1967.

His XOXO Stabler Foundation raised funds for causes such as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Habitat for Humanity, according to its website.