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Al Davis

Updated: 12/11/2025, 5:36:10 PM Wikipedia source

Allen R. 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 for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) 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 as a part-owner from 1966 to 1971, assuming both positions while the Raiders were members of the American Football League (AFL). He served as the AFL commissioner in 1966. Known for his motto "Just win, baby", Davis managed the Raiders becoming one of the NFL's most successful and popular teams. The franchise enjoyed its greatest successes during the 1970s and 1980s where it was a perennial playoff contender 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 person to have served as a scout, assistant general manager, general manager, assistant coach, a head coach, a commissioner (of a league), and an owner of a team.

Infobox

Born
(1929-07-04)July 4, 1929Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died
October 8, 2011(2011-10-08) (aged 82)Oakland, California, U.S.
High school
Erasmus Hall(Brooklyn, New York)
College
Syracuse
Regular season
23–16–3 (.583)

Tables

· Head coaching record
Won
Won
Team
Won
Year
Lost
Col 3
Ties
Col 4
Win %
Col 5
Finish
OAK
OAK
Team
OAK
Year
1963
Col 3
10
Col 4
4
Col 5
0
Col 6
714
Col 7
2nd in AFL Western
OAK
OAK
Team
OAK
Year
1964
Col 3
5
Col 4
7
Col 5
2
Col 6
417
Col 7
3rd in AFL Western
OAK
OAK
Team
OAK
Year
1965
Col 3
8
Col 4
5
Col 5
1
Col 6
615
Col 7
2nd in AFL Western
Total
Total
Team
Total
Year
23
Col 3
16
Col 4
3
Col 5
583
Team
Year
Won
Lost
Ties
Win %
Finish
OAK
1963
10
4
0
714
2nd in AFL Western
OAK
1964
5
7
2
417
3rd in AFL Western
OAK
1965
8
5
1
615
2nd in AFL Western
Total
23
16
3
583

References

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  52. Rappoport, pp. 164–166.
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