After a college career that saw him take the University of Illinois to the Rose Bowl, Mike White made the venture into the professional ranks. Serving as the Raiders offensive line and quarterback coach from 1990-94, White was tapped to be the head coach in 1995, when he replaced legend Art Shell.
The firing of Shell was a bit of a shock, as the Raiders went 9-7 that season. However, White took the job and started running with it, getting the 1995 team out to a 8-2 record before the wheels fell off the wagon.
The 1995 Raiders would end up losing their last six games, seeing an almost certain playoff appearance go out the window. When the team finished the 1996 campaign with a 7-9 record, the organization decided to move in a different direction, firing White on Christmas Eve.
White latched on with the then-St. Louis Rams for the 1997 season, and actually won a Super Bowl as an assistant coach for the “Greatest Show on Turf.” In 1999, White finished his coaching career, and incredibly, is tied for ninth all-time in Raiders history in wins, despite only coaching the team for two seasons.