Oakland acquired Dan Pastorini in a straight quarterback swap…
Oakland acquired Dan Pastorini in a straight quarterback swap for Ken Stabler, but Pastorini started only five games before breaking his leg. He threw for 932 yards with five touchdowns and eight interceptions as a Raider. Jim Plunkett’s championship run rescued Oakland’s season, but that success came after Pastorini was lost and did not improve the return from this trade.
Las Vegas Raiders Received
- player Dan Pastorini
Tennessee Titans Received
- player Ken Stabler
Trade Analysis
The famous part of this swap is what happened after Oakland lost Dan Pastorini, but the trade itself should be separated from Jim Plunkett’s comeback. The Raiders sent Ken Stabler to Houston for Pastorini in March 1980, exchanging two established starting quarterbacks who were both looking for a change. Pastorini opened the season as Oakland’s starter and completed 66 of 130 passes for 932 yards, five touchdowns and eight interceptions. His season effectively ended when he broke his leg in Week 5.
Plunkett then took over, went 9-2 as the starter and led the Raiders to a Super Bowl XV championship. That makes the season unforgettable for Oakland, but Plunkett was already on the roster and was not acquired in this transaction. The trade return must therefore be judged on Pastorini’s own contribution, which was brief and disappointing.
Houston received more direct value. Stabler started every game in 1980, threw for 3,202 yards and helped the Oilers finish 11-5. Houston’s season ended against Oakland in the AFC wild-card round, and Stabler did not recreate his peak Raiders years over the longer term. That limitation keeps the Oilers’ grade below the elite range.
A B+ for the Oilers reflects a useful starting quarterback acquired for a player who immediately became less valuable. Oakland receives a D because Pastorini gave the club only five starts before injury. The Raiders still won the Super Bowl, but the championship was driven by the replacement plan rather than the player acquired in the swap. Houston plainly received the better direct quarterback return.