According to the Raiders’ official website, owner Al Davis passed away on Saturday at the age of 82. No cause of death was given, and a statement from the team is expected to be released later in the day.
Davis started out as a coach, general manager, and commissioner for the AFL before becoming the Raiders’ principal owner in 1972. Since then, Oakland has captured four AFC titles and three Super Bowl championships as an iconic team of a previous era.
Davis was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 and was one of the remaining members of the AFL’s “Foolish Club”, along with Titans owner Bud Adams and Bills owner Ralph Wilson.
Many looked upon him as ‘Crazy Al’ for his outlandish statements toward the league and eye-raising roster moves, but the NFL truly wouldn’t have been what it is today without his contributions and efforts. What’s fitting is the last Raiders victory he witnessed came against the New York Jets, a team that — once upon a time — was a bitter rival of Davis’.
It’s hard to imagine a Raiders game without Davis in attendance, though now he gets to watch over them from the best seat in the house — the big luxury suite in the sky.
