Allen "Al" Davis (born July 4, 1929 in Brockton, Massachusetts) is an American football executive, who currently serves as the president of A.D. Football, Inc., the managing general partner of the NFL's Oakland Raiders.
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Biography
Al Davis attended Wittenberg University, then graduated from Syracuse University in 1950. He was cut from the varsity football squad, playing some J.V. football and auditing the varsity team's practices until the coaches ordered him removed.
Upon graduation Davis began his coaching career as the line coach at Adelphi College from 1950 to 1951. From there Davis served as the head coach of the U.S. Army team at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia from 1952 to 1953. His next coaching assignment was as the line coach and chief recruiter for The Citadel. From 1957 to 1959 Davis was a line coach at the University of Southern California.
Davis' first coaching experience in professional football came as the offensive end coach of the Los Angeles Chargers from 1960 to 1962. In 1963, at the age of 33, Davis became the head coach and general manager of the AFL's Oakland Raiders. He was the youngest person in the history of professional football to hold these positions. Prior to Davis' arrival, the Raiders had compiled a 9-33 record in their first three years of existence. Davis led the team to a 10-4 record in 1963 and was unanimously named the American Football League Coach of the Year.
Davis compiled a coaching record of 23-16-3 in three seasons as head coach in Oakland. In April 1966 he was named the American Football League Commissioner. He immediately commenced an aggressive campaign to sign some of the NFL's top players to AFL contracts. In July the AFL announced that it was merging with the rival league. Davis was against the merger and chose to return to the Raiders as their managing general partner, rather than remain as commissioner until the end of the AFL in 1970.
With Davis in control, the Raiders became one of the most successful teams in professional football. From 1967 to 1985 the team won 13 division championships, one AFL championship (1967), three Super Bowls (XI, XV, & XVIII) and made 15 playoff appearances. The team's fortunes have waned considerably since 1985, with just four first-place finishes and six playoff appearances in the last 20 years.
In 1992 Davis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a Team and League Administrator, and was presented by John Madden. Mr. Davis has been chosen by a record nine Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees to present them at the Canton, Ohio ceremony: Lance Alworth, Jim Otto, George Blanda, Willie Brown, Gene Upshaw, Fred Biletnikoff, Art Shell, Ted Hendricks, and now, John Madden, for his 2006 induction.
Al Davis is also credited for the catchphrases "Just win baby!", "Commitment to Excellence" and "Pride and Poise".
Legal battles
Davis has long been considered one of the most controversial owners in the NFL. In 1980 he attempted to move the Raiders to Los Angeles but was blocked by a court injunction. In response Davis filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the NFL. In June 1982 a federal district court ruled in Davis' favor and the team officially relocated to Los Angeles for the 1982 NFL season. In 1995 Davis moved the team back to Oakland. Since then he has been involved in multiple lawsuits involving Los Angeles, Oakland, Irwindale and the NFL.
Praise and criticism
Davis has been widely criticized by the media for his reclusive style, along with former employees and players such as Jon Gruden, Mike Shanahan and Marcus Allen. Davis, along with his loyal following, despite the team's shortcomings after parting ways with Jon Gruden, still insist that he has never waned in trying to put the best team on the field year after year.[citation needed]
Davis has also been described by former employees as gracious and loyal. Many former struggling players have credited Davis as helping them when no one else would.[citation needed]
Davis is also known throughout the league for first giving opportunity to minority players when many clubs would not. Davis scouted and drafted from smaller schools in the South that were predominatly African-American when other professional football teams would not be willing to take on those players.[citation needed]
Davis was also the first owner to hire a Hispanic-American (Tom Flores) and an African-American (Art Shell) as head coach in the modern era, well before the league mandated rules for minority head coaching candidates.
For those acts of social justice, Davis is an esteemed member of the American Jewish community.[citation needed]
He is also the first and only owner to put a woman in charge of operations of an NFL team: Amy Trask, the CEO of the Oakland Raiders.
He is also a member of the GAP co-owners
See also
Further reading
- Mark Ribowsky, Slick: The Silver and Black Life of Al Davis (biography)
External links
- Al Davis biography at the Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Al Davis biography
- ESPN Classic bio