[Editor’s note: The following statement was released by Alexa Stabler-Adams and Marissa Stabler, two of the three daughters of the late Hall of Fame quarterback Ken Stabler, in response to criticism of the Hall of Fame for not giving a gold jacket or Hall of Fame ring to the family.]
Our dad was an extremely private and humble person and we’ve always done our best to respect and honor this in both his life and in his death. We are in no way speaking on behalf of other families who have also had a loved one inducted into the Hall of Fame posthumously. We are just trying to represent our father in the way he would want us to.
Dad led by example on the field and off the field. As a father, he taught us to be gracious, kind, and to never take anything for granted. He’d always say, “just keep your head down and keep working hard.”
We know the Hall of Fame ring and the jacket are two symbolic pieces of accomplishment. However, we also know Dad wouldn’t want us making a commotion over materialistic things. When he was alive he didn’t even want us to make a case for him being in the Hall of Fame, not publicly or even privately.
We so love and appreciate the passion of Dad’s loyal supporters who have fought tirelessly to get him into the Hall of Fame (there’s no nation like Raider Nation!). And we understand why they feel it is an injustice that he not be given all of the same things as a living Hall of Famer. But we also respect the Hall of Fame’s reasoning behind not awarding a ring and jacket to our father posthumously, as we know Dad would want to prevent any possible conflict among his family on who these should go to.
In September, the Hall presented his three daughters with a framed Hall of Fame crest that adorns the gold jacket. These are more than enough in our eyes and we will treasure them forever.
But what matters -- what truly matters -- is that Dad is finally in the Hall of Fame where he belongs and where he will continue to make memories for so many for years and years to come.