Ken Stabler, who led the Oakland Raiders to a Super Bowl victory and was the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1974, has died as a result of complications from colon cancer. He was 69. 
 
 FILE - In this Jan. 9, 1977, file photo, Oakland Raiders receiver Fred Biletnikoff, left, and quarterback Ken Stabler each hold up one finger after the Raiders defeated the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL... (Associated Press) 
 
 FILE - In this Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009 file photo, former Oakland Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler watches before an NFL football game between the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders in Oakland, Calif.... (Associated Press) 
 
 FILE - In this Sept. 4, 1978, file photo, Denver Broncos' Lyle Alzado, left, and Joe Rizzo pursue Oakland Raiders quarterback Kenny Stabler during an NFL football game in Denver.Stabler, who led the Raiders... (Associated Press) 
 
 FILE - In this Jan. 4, 1977, file photo, Oakland Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler, right, talks with coach John Madden in Oakland, Calif. Stabler, who led the Raiders to a Super Bowl victory and was the... (Associated Press) 
 
 His family announced his death on Stabler's Facebook page on Thursday. The statement said Stabler "passed peacefully" on Wednesday while surrounded by family, including his three daughters and longtime partner, who wasn't named. Raiders owner Mark Davis said the team was "deeply saddened by the passing of the great Ken Stabler." 
 
 "He was a cherished member of the Raider family and personified what it means to be a Raider," Davis said in a statement. "He wore the Silver and Black with Pride and Poise and will continue to live in the hearts of Raider fans everywhere. Our sincerest thoughts and prayers go out to Kenny's family." 
 
 Stabler's coach with the Raiders, John Madden, said his former quarterback was cool under pressure. 
 
 "I've often said, if I had one drive to win a game to this day, and I had a quarterback to pick, I would pick Kenny," Madden said. "Snake was a lot cooler than I was. He was a perfect quarterback and a perfect Raider. When you think about the Raiders you think about Ken Stabler. Kenny loved life. It is a sad day for all Raiders." 
 
 Stabler was a four-time Pro Bowl selection with the Raiders, leading the franchise to consistent success during the 1970s, including a 32-14 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in the 1977 Super Bowl. 
 
 The family's statement said he was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in February. 
 
 Stabler's favorite songs were playing, from Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" to Van Morrison's "Leaves Falling Down," the family said. His brain and spinal cord were donated to Boston University's Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center to support research into degenerative brain disease among athletes, according to the family. 
 
 "He was a kind, generous and unselfish man, never turning down an autograph request or an opportunity to help someone in need," the family said. "A great quarterback, he was an even greater father to his three girls, and grandfather to his two 'grand snakes.'" 
 
 The Foley, Alabama, native threw for 27,938 career yards over 15 seasons, which also included stints with the Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints 
 
 During his college career, Stabler led Alabama to an undefeated 1966 season and was chosen the Sugar Bowl MVP after a 34-7 rout of Nebraska. He also ran for a long touchdown on a rain-soaked field during the 1967 Iron Bowl to lead the Tide to a 7-3 win over Auburn. 
 
 Alabama coach Nick Saban got to know Stabler from golf tournaments and the ex-Raiders quarterback's stint as an analyst on Alabama radio broadcasts. 
 
 "I think anyone who had the chance to get to know Kenny would appreciate the great person he was and the pride he had for the University of Alabama," Saban said in a statement. "I have had the chance to be around some of the best to ever play college and pro football, and Kenny may have been one of the greatest competitors to ever play the game." 
 
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 The Raiders mourned the loss of Ken Stabler on Thursday, a clutch and fun-loving left-handed quarterback who came to symbolize the franchise during the glory days of the 1970s. 
 
 Stabler, 69, died Wednesday from complications from colon cancer, according to a release from the family. 
 
 Unbeknown to many of his former teammates, Stabler had been diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in February. 
 
 Stabler "passed peacefully surrounded by the people he loved most, including his three daughters and longtime partner" as some of his favorite songs played in the background, according to the release. 
 
 Nicknamed "The Snake" by a high school coach in Alabama after a long, winding touchdown run, Stabler played for the Raiders from 1970 through 1979 and led the franchise to its first Super Bowl championship, capping the 1976 season. 
 
 "The Raiders are deeply saddened by the passing of the great Ken Stabler," owner Mark Davis said in a statement. "He was a cherished member of the Raider family and personified what it means to be a Raider. He wore the Silver and Black with pride and poise and will continue to live in the hearts of Raider fans everywhere. Our sincerest thoughts and prayers go out to Kenny's family." 
 
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 In 10 seasons with the Raiders, Stabler was 69-26-1 after winning the job from Daryle Lamonica in 1973 and had signature plays such as the "Sea of Hands" touchdown pass to Clarence Davis in the 1974 playoffs against Miami and the "Holy Roller" intentional fumble for a touchdown by Dave Casper against the San Diego Chargers in 1978. 
 
 Stabler arrived in 1968 as a second-round draft pick out of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Known more for his mobility than for his throwing arm, Stabler evolved into a deadly-accurate passer -- particularly when the game was on the line. 
 
 In stark contrast to Raiders coach John Madden, who prowled the sidelines wearing his emotions on his short sleeves, Stabler had an ability to remain calm in pressure situations. 
 
 "I've often said, if I had one drive to win a game to this day, and I had a quarterback to pick, I would pick Kenny," Madden said in a statement released by the club. "Snake was a lot cooler than I was. He was a perfect quarterback and a perfect Raider. When you think about the Raiders, you think about Ken Stabler. Kenny loved life. It is a sad day for all Raiders." 
 
 Former Raiders right tackle John Vella, who protected Stabler's blind side, said: "You couldn't have picked a better guy to be the leader of a team coached by John Madden and owned by Al Davis ... he was probably the most popular Raider of all time. If you held a vote, I don't think it would be close." 
 
 Stabler, who also played for the Houston Oilers (1980-81) and New Orleans Saints (1982-84), was the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1974 and probably had his best season in 1976, when he completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 27 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in a predominantly run-oriented offense. 
 
 In the days preceding a 32-14 Super Bowl XI win over the Minnesota Vikings, Stabler was near-perfect. 
 
 "That whole practice, we passed the ball one-on-one, skeleton, team (drills), only one ball hit the ground. One ball," Madden told this newspaper in 2006. "It was a ball out on the left to Dave Casper. It went right through his hands. That was as good a practice as I've ever been involved in. Stabler was as good as I've ever seen him." 
 
 Tom Flores, the former Raiders coach and an assistant at the time, said Madden cut practice short and was concerned Stabler had peaked too soon. 
 
 Halfback Pete Banaszak said he went out for a few beers with Stabler and wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff after practice and went back to the team hotel believing the Vikings had no chance. 
 
 "Snake said if Minnesota plays us the way we think they are, we're going to kill them," Banaszak said. "And we did." 
 
 Stabler and the Raiders were known to have a good time at local watering holes, and they were given a wide berth by Madden, whose only rules were to be on time and play hard. 
 
 "He was a unique guy and he had so much fun playing the game, and off the field it rubbed off on all of us," Banaszak said. "He always knew the right thing to say in a serious situation, and we'd pull it off." 
 
 Raiders fullback Mark van Eeghen remembered a trip to New York to face the Jets where Stabler had apparently carried his Friday night party well into Saturday and beyond. 
 
 "I'm going to breakfast to get my steak and eggs at 8 o'clock the day of the game," van Eeghen said. "Kenny's just walking in, and he looks like hell. I asked him what time he got in. He said, 'Mark, I'm just getting in.' ... We won the game. Now, he didn't do that all the time, but if he was going to stay out a little late, we were going to pick him up.'' 
 
 Vella said Stabler would occasionally ask for another second or two to throw when the Raiders were in a difficult situation and that, "It was never hard to come up with an extra effort for a guy like Kenny." 
 
 In 2009, Stabler conceded he wasn't the "first in the building and last to leave" type when it came to preparing to play football but said he didn't have to be, considering the talent on the roster. 
 
 "I didn't really work at the game. I didn't have to," Stabler said. "The game came easy to me. Once we learned the system, we could play, but you have to look at the people in the system. ... I'm the last one to tell somebody about work ethic. On the field, I worked hard and understood the system. It was old-school, simple football -- just go play." 
 
 Flores worked closely with Stabler as an offensive assistant and said: "He was perfect for what we had at that time. He was loose, he was fun to be around, he was competitive, and most importantly, he won." 
 
 Banaszak echoed the sentiments of other teammates who didn't even know Stabler was seriously ill. 
 
 "I'm sitting here watching TV and not even comprehending what I'm watching," Banaszak said. "I'm stunned." 
 
 At Stabler's request, his brain and spinal cord were donated to Boston University's Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center to support research for degenerative brain disease in athletes, the family said.
– It seemed for a while that this one might turn out to be of those false Internet obituaries—but, no, the Oakland Raiders have confirmed that quarterbacking great Kenny "the Snake" Stabler is dead at age 69. He had been diagnosed with colon cancer in February, reports the Oakland Tribune. Stabler starred at Alabama in college, then got drafted by the Raiders. He led the team to five straight AFC title games, including a victory in Super Bowl XI in 1977. "I've often said, if I had one drive to win a game to this day, and I had a quarterback to pick, I would pick Kenny," says former coach John Madden, per AP. "Snake was a lot cooler than I was," he adds. "He was a perfect quarterback and a perfect Raider." Stabler, who was league MVP in 1974, played 10 seasons with the Raiders and another five with Houston and New Orleans. He passed for 27,938 yards, 2,270 completions, and 194 touchdowns. "He wore the Silver and Black with Pride and Poise and will continue to live in the hearts of Raider fans everywhere," says team owner Mark Davis.