Al Davis

Allen Davis (July 4, 1929 – October 8, 2011) was an American football coach and executive. He was the principal owner and general manager (officially titled managing general partner) 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.

Al Davis
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:
  • Adelphi (1950–1951)
    Offensive line coach
  • Fort Belvoir (1953)
  • Baltimore Colts (1954)
    Scout
  • The Citadel (1955–1956)
    Offensive line coach
  • Southern California (1957–1959)
    Offensive line coach
  • Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers (19601962)
    Wide receivers coach
  • Oakland Raiders (19631965)
    Head coach
As an executive:
Career highlights and awards
  • 3× Super Bowl champion (XI, XV, XVIII)
  • 2× NFL Executive of the Year (1976, 2002)
  • AFL Coach of the Year (1963)
Head coaching record
Regular season:23–16–3 (.583)
Coaching stats at PFR
Executive profile at PFR

Known for his motto "Just win, baby", 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. He was the first NFL owner in the modern era to hire a black head coach (Art Shell), the first to hire a female chief executive (Amy Trask), and the first NFL owner to hire a Latino head coach (Tom Flores). He remains the only executive in NFL history to be an assistant coach, head coach, general manager, commissioner, and owner.

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