The Raiders were once viewed as one of the most prestigious franchises in all of sports. The last 23 years have changed the perception of the franchise, as they have made just two playoff appearances since reaching the Super Bowl in 2002, and they've failed to win a single playoff game since then.
Their struggles began under legendary owner Al Davis and have continued since his passing in 2011, when his son Mark Davis assumed ownership of the franchise. While the elder Davis made plenty of questionable football decisions later in his life, he remains one of the pivotal figures in NFL history.
The late, great Raiders owner became synonymous with the league itself, and remains the most important person in the history of this illustrious franchise. The fan base will be very surprised to see the list that the Pro Football Hall of Famer undeservedly made.
Late Raiders owner Al Davis undeservedly makes a list he shouldn't be on
Davis initially joined the then-Oakland Raiders as a head coach in 1963, spending three years in the role. During that span, the franchise went 23-16-3, and Davis earned AFL Coach of the Year honors in his first season after the team improved from 1-13 to 10-4.
He then served as the AFL commissioner in 1966, before buying into the Raiders' ownership group and beginning his reign as general manager later that year. By 1972, he was the principal owner and general manager of the franchise.
During his tenure, Davis led the Raiders to three Super Bowl titles and was named NFL Executive of the Year twice. Despite his immense success, FanSided's Nick Villano labeled the legendary owner as one of the ten worst in sports history.
"Moving his team twice, breaking the hearts of millions in Los Angeles and Oakland in the process, has to get him on this list. He benched Marcus Allen, one of the best running backs ever, for two years over a contract dispute. He was resentful and vengeful to a point that it did hurt his legacy. Also, he brought Mark Davis into this world, and he’s much worse than his father in terms of competence."
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The last sentence alone contradicts Villano's ultimate point, as the younger Davis was nowhere to be found on the list, despite the acknowledgement that he is far less competent in the role. Furthermore, owners such as Jerry Jones, who also has three rings but has a 30-year drought from the NFC Championship Game, far longer than any stretch in Davis' career, were omitted from the list.
Every negative that rings true for Davis, aside from moving the team, is also true for Jones. But his stretch of poor ownership has lasted much longer. In addition to the two names mentioned, there are plenty of owners across the sports world who had far worse tenures than Davis, whether that was due to scandals, an unwillingness to spend, moving the team, or poor decisions.
After all, Davis is widely considered to be one of the most influential figures in NFL history and a true maverick for the game of football. Villano acknowledged that the late Raiders owner was instrumental in opening the door for minorities and women to get opportunities in the NFL. He also showed a willingness to take on the league if it benefited his franchise.
Ultimately, Davis' legacy is far too great to find himself on any list of the worst owners in sports history. In fact, he has a strong case to be considered one of the ten best owners across the sports landscape. Raider Nation knows that, and ultimately, that's all that would have mattered to Al Davis.