Aidan O'Connell

Aidan O’Connell completed 24-of-34 passes for 214 yards, two touchdowns, and an intercpetion in the Raiders’ 34-20, Week 18 loss to the Chargers.

O’Connell’s tumultuous year comes to an end on a high note with 713 yards, three touchdowns, and just one interception in his final three starts, two of which were wins. Gardner Minshew initially won the starting job and the Raiders were reluctant to bench him despite his poor play. They eventually pulled the trigger in Week 6, marking AOC’s first start. He lasted less than two games before suffering a broken bone in his right thumb, sidelining him for four weeks. O’Connell returned to the starting role once again, only to suffer another injury, this time a bone bruise in his knee. He returned once again for a few starts late in the year. O’Connell was roughly as good as Minshew and definitively better than Desmond Ridder, solidifying his status as a viable backup. The Raiders are all but certain to draft a quarterback, but O’Connell has done enough through two seasons to stick with the team as a reserve or possibly a bridge option in 2025.