Al Davis

Who was Al Davis?

Allen "Al" Davis was an American football executive. He was the principal owner and general manager of the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League from 1972 to 2011. Under Davis' management, the Raiders became one of the most successful teams in professional sports. His motto for the team was "Just win, baby." 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 to hire an African American head coach and a female chief executive. He was also the second NFL owner to hire a Latino head coach. He remains the only executive in NFL history to be an assistant coach, head coach, general manager, commissioner and owner.