Al Davis

For other people named Al Davis, see Al Davis (disambiguation).

Al Davis
Davis wearing a dark suit and tie and sneering from behind a desk
Davis c. 1970
Personal information
Born:(1929-07-04)July 4, 1929
Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died:October 8, 2011(2011-10-08) (aged 82)
Oakland, California, U.S.
Career information
High school:Erasmus Hall
(Brooklyn, New York)
College:Wittenberg University

(attended)

Syracuse
Career history
As a coach:
As an executive:
Executive profile at Pro Football Reference
Career highlights and awards
Head coaching record
Regular season:23–16–3 (.583)
Record at Pro Football Reference
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Allen Davis (July 4, 1929 – October 8, 2011) was an American professional football executive and coach. He was the managing general partner, principal owner and de facto general manager[1] of the National Football League (NFL) Oakland Raiders for 39 years, from 1972 until his death in 2011. Prior to becoming principal owner of the Raiders, he served as the team's head coach from 1963 to 1965 and part owner from 1966 to 1971, assuming both positions while the Raiders were part of the American Football League (AFL). He served as AFL commissioner in 1966.

Known for his motto "Just win, baby",[2] the Raiders became one of the NFL's most successful and popular teams under Davis' management. The franchise enjoyed their greatest successes during the 1970s and 1980s where they were perennial playoff contenders and won three Super Bowl titles. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.

Davis was active in civil rights, refusing to allow the Raiders to play in any city where black and white players had to stay in separate hotels.[3][4][5] He was the first NFL owner in the modern era to hire a black head coach (Art Shell),[6][7] the first to hire a female chief executive (Amy Trask),[8] and the first NFL owner to hire a Latino head coach (Tom Flores).[9] He remains the only executive in NFL history to be an assistant coach, head coach, general manager, commissioner, and owner.[10][11][12]

  1. ^ "Al Davis, Hall of Fame owner of Raiders, dies at age 82". NFL.com. October 8, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference nflmourns was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Al Davis' diversity legacy: Of Silver & Black, and the full rainbow". The Mercury News. September 10, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  4. ^ Elman, Jake (February 2, 2021). "Late Raiders Owner Al Davis Fought Segregation Laws as Fiercely as He Did the NFL". Sportscasting | Pure Sports. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  5. ^ "Hall of Famer Al Davis went the extra yard for social justice | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". pfhof. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  6. ^ Frank, Vincent. "Al Davis: Art Shell and 5 NFL Coaches Who Owe Most to Oakland Raiders Owner". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  7. ^ Davenport, Gary. "Al Davis: Hiring Art Shell Paved the Way for Diversity in the NFL". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  8. ^ RaiderusMax. "Amy Trask of the Oakland Raiders: The Toughest and 1st Female CEO in the NFL". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  9. ^ Shaw, A.R. (October 8, 2011). "Oakland Raiders Owner Al Davis Dies, Hired First Black and Latino Coaches in the NFL". Rolling Out. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  10. ^ Robertson, Maddie (October 21, 2020). "The impact of one man on America and professional football, the story of Al Davis". Footballscoop. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  11. ^ Schalter, Ty. "Al Davis Death: Oakland Raiders Owner Championed Diversity in the NFL". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  12. ^ "Hall of Famer Al Davis went the extra yard for social justice | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". pfhof. Retrieved June 19, 2022.