| Team: | Oakland Raiders |
| Year: | 1961 |
| Record: | 2–12 |
| Division Place: | 4th AFL Western |
| Owner: | F. Wayne Valley |
| General Manager: | Wesley Fry |
| Coach: | Marty Feldman |
| Stadium: | Candlestick Park |
| Playoffs: | Did not qualify |
| Shortnavlink: | Raiders seasons |
The 1961 Oakland Raiders season was the team's second in the American Football League. Based in Oakland, they played their home games in San Francisco at Candlestick Park.
The Raiders tried to improve on their 6–8 record from 1960, but finished last in the AFL West at 2–12, dropping their final six games. They set an AFL record in 1961, posting a point differential of negative-221,[1] and surrendered 36 rushing touchdowns, a pro football record.
The following year, the Raiders moved to the new Frank Youell Field in Oakland, and played in that temporary venue for four seasons.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | at Houston Oilers | L 0–55 | 0–1 | Jeppesen Stadium | 16,231 | Recap | ||
| 2 | September 17 | at San Diego Chargers | L 0–44 | 0–2 | Balboa Stadium | 20,216 | Recap | |
| 3 | September 24 | Dallas Texans | L 35–42 | 0–3 | Candlestick Park | 6,737 | Recap | |
| 4 | October 1 | Denver Broncos | W 33–19 | 1–3 | Candlestick Park | 8,361 | Recap | |
| 5 | align=center colspan=7 | Bye | ||||||
| 6 | October 15 | at Denver Broncos | L 24–27 | 1–4 | Bears Stadium | 11,129 | Recap | |
| 7 | October 22 | San Diego Chargers | L 10–41 | 1–5 | Candlestick Park | 12,014 | Recap | |
| 8 | October 29 | New York Titans | L 6–14 | 1–6 | Candlestick Park | 7,138 | Recap | |
| 9 | November 5 | at Buffalo Bills | W 31–22 | 2–6 | War Memorial Stadium | 17,027 | Recap | |
| 10 | at New York Titans | L 12–23 | 2–7 | Polo Grounds | 16,811 | Recap | ||
| 11 | at Boston Patriots | L 17–20 | 2–8 | Boston University Field | 18,169 | Recap | ||
| 12 | November 26 | at Dallas Texans | L 11–43 | 2–9 | Cotton Bowl | 14,500 | Recap | |
| 13 | December 3 | Buffalo Bills | L 21–26 | 2–10 | Candlestick Park | 6,500 | Recap | |
| 14 | Boston Patriots | L 21–35 | 2–11 | Candlestick Park | 6,500 | Recap | ||
| 15 | December 17 | Houston Oilers | L 16–47 | 2–12 | Candlestick Park | 4,821 | Recap | |
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. | ||||||||