Al Davis Would Be Proud of the Raiders' Progress

The Las Vegas Raiders' storied history is deeply tied to the late Al Davis, whose impact on the franchise and the NFL remains significant decades later. Though instrumental in building the Raiders' legacy, Al Davis never envisioned Las Vegas as the team's eventual home.

On what would have been his father's 96th birthday, Raiders owner Mark Davis shared fond memories, particularly of their times in Las Vegas before training camp. He recalled Al Davis loving the city, the sun, and bringing his own weights to work out since hotel gyms weren't common then. Al and his wife would enjoy dinners and shows, with Mark noting his father was treated very well by the people. Mark reflected on Las Vegas transforming from the "entertainment capital of the world" to the "sports and entertainment capital," and the Raiders being part of that evolution across two different eras.

Years after his death, Al Davis continues to command immense respect from figures across the league. Colorado Buffaloes Head Coach Deion Sanders recently praised Davis as a "legend," describing him as someone opposing players wanted to approach just to shake his hand and admire his style ("drip"). Sanders called Davis "one of a kind," a "straight-shooter," "innovative," "creative," and "before his time," stating that every player during that era wanted to be a Raider in some form, including himself.