Al Davis was a larger-than-life figure, seemingly from the day he took over as head coach of the then-Oakland Raiders in 1963. While he often found himself in legal battles with the NFL or alienating stars like Ken Stabler and Marcus Allen due to contractual disputes, it was difficult to argue with the results.
From 1963 to 2002, the Raiders' .627 win percentage and 372 wins were the highest in the NFL. If the postseason is included, their .624 win percentage and 397 wins were also the highest in the league. Whether they were in Oakland or Los Angeles, the franchise truly embodied the motto, "Just Win, Baby," which Davis famously coined.
Things have not been as kind to Raider Nation over the past 22 seasons, however, as they have failed to win a postseason game. Plus, their 128 wins and .360 win percentage are the second-worst in the league, as only the Cleveland Browns have been worse. The last decade of Davis' tenure was a sign of what was to come, as only the Detroit Lions had fewer wins than the Raiders.
Raiders fans get brutal reminder of the end of Al Davis' tenure
Much of that time was spent wasting draft picks on players who never materialized and overpaying free agents who did not produce. Following Jerry Jones' decision to trade superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons, the Dallas Cowboys' owner is beginning to resemble the final decade of Davis' tenure, during which the franchise icon made a series of questionable decisions.
Raider Nation rightfully remembers Davis' reign for his great achievements, particularly the three Super Bowl titles he brought the franchise. It is hard to deny, however, that the end of his tenure was brutal for the fanbase.
The string of costly moves likely began with the decision to trade head coach Jon Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ahead of the 2002 season, as Gruden wound up coaching them to a Super Bowl victory over the Raiders. From that point on, the franchise did not have a winning season until 2016, which was after Davis' passing in 2011.
Some of Davis' worst moves include drafting JaMarcus Russell when others in the building wanted Calvin Johnson, reaching for Darrius Heyward-Bey at No. 7 overall due to his speed, signing big-name free agents such as Javon Walker and DeAngelo Hall and trading for Randy Moss.
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Obviously, none of these moves worked out. Making matters worse for the fanbase, three times in a four-year span, the player drafted immediately after the Raiders' pick -- Larry Fitzgerald, Aaron Rodgers and Johnson -- went on to have a Hall of Fame career.
The biggest thing holding the Raiders back during that period seemed to be Davis and his refusal to hire a general manager to handle football operations. He was a prideful man, and rightfully so, as nobody could argue with his success. This has seemingly been the case for Jones with the Cowboys as well, who won three Super Bowls for his organization but has faltered recently.
While they have remained competitive, Jones appears to be following Davis' path as a larger-than-life owner of a legendary franchise who simply can't get out of his own way. Dallas' owner has been reluctant to hire a general manager and has continued to push the organization in the wrong direction.
Although Raiders fans are unlikely to feel any sympathy for Cowboys supporters, they certainly can relate to the struggle of having a franchise icon stick around as the lone decision-maker for too long, as legendary and impactful as they once were.