John Elway has made several notable critical remarks about the Raiders over the years, especially about their organization and its effect on quarterbacks.

Critical comments on Raiders organization

• In a Sporting News column, Elway argued that JaMarcus Russell’s best chance to succeed in the NFL would be to get out of Oakland, calling the Raiders a bad team with poor protection, few weapons, and no coaching continuity.

• He said this kind of instability could ruin a quarterback and specifically stated that the game had passed owner Al Davis by, leaving Russell with “almost no chance” to reach his potential in Oakland.

Remarks about rivalry and playing style

• In discussing his playing days, Elway described games against the Raiders as very physical and said that going into those matchups, Denver players expected the Raiders to take cheap shots and do everything they could to rough them up.

• He has also acknowledged in recent years that the rivalry with the Raiders remains strong and that the Raiders have fielded good offensive teams that present a serious challenge.

Comments on Raiders’ recent performance

• In a recent viral story circulating online, Elway was reported to have harshly criticized the Raiders’ offensive play calling and their ability to execute under pressure, dismissing their chances in big games; however, this appears in a blog-style “breaking” item rather than an established major news outlet and should be treated with caution.