Oakland Raiders - Greatest Sports Franchises
Early Days
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The Raiders joined the American Football League in 1960, and became part of the National Football League after the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. Today, the team plays in the American Football Conference’s Western Division.
Rookie-Heavy Roster
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In early 1960, the Raiders became the last of the eight AFL teams to choose players. The club’s 42-man roster therefore included only 14 veterans and 28 rookies. However, the group did include future Hall of Fame center Jim Otto, and future Raiders head coach, quarterback Tom Flores.
Al Davis
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The Raiders’ record for the first three years of their existence was an abysmal 9-33. In time for the 1963 season, the team’s managing general partner F. Wayne Valley picked Al Davis as head coach and general manager. At just 33-years-old, Davis was the youngest person in pro football history to occupy those jobs.
Davis’ Success
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Davis’ Army football background influenced his focus on an aggressive offensive “vertical game.” After bettering the club’s record to 10-4, Davis was named AFL Coach of the Year in 1963.
Davis Leaves…Then Returns
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Three years later, Davis left the team to become AFL Commissioner and John Rauch took over head coaching duties. Once the AFL and NFL merged, Davis was left jobless. He then returned to the Raiders as part owner and the club’s third general partner, and was put in charge of football operations.
John Rauch
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By 1967, the Raiders improved to a 13-1-0 record under Rauch. The club won that year’s AFL Championship, but on January 14th, 1968, they lost in Super Bowl II to Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers.
John Madden
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A turning point in Raiders’ history came on February 4th, 1969 when John Madden was named the team’s sixth head coach. Madden went on to clinch the Raiders’ spot as one of football’s great franchises.
The Immaculate Reception and Super Bowl XI
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In 1972, the team managed a 10-3-1 record, but lost in the divisional round to the Pittsburgh Steelers on a play that was later named the Immaculate Reception. Four years later they avenged that play by knocking out star Steeler Lynn Swann. They won Super Bowl XI that season 32-14 against the Minnesota Vikings, with wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff taking MVP honors.
Madden Retires
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In 1979, after ten back-to-back winning seasons and one Super Bowl win, John Madden left the Raiders to become a TV football commentator.
Tom Flores
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His replacement was former Raiders QB Tom Flores, and he was the first Hispanic coach in NFL history. After bringing former number-one draft choice Jim Plunkett in as quarterback, the Raiders ended with an 11-5 record and a wild card spot. They became the first ever wild card team to win the championship when they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XV.
Off to L.A.
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Before the 1980 season, it became clear that the team’s accommodations in Oakland were unsuitable for a pro football team. After a lengthy legal process, Davis moved the Raiders to Los Angeles where they stayed from 1982 until 1994. During their stint in L.A., the team won Super Bowl XVIII against the Washington Redskins. By 1995, they were back in Oakland.
First African American NFL Coach
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In 1989, the Raiders hired Hall of Famer Art Shell and became the first team in the modern NFL era to have an African American coach.
Unable to Recapture Success
Following their Super Bowl win in ‘84, the team went through a litany of coaches as well as players like Bo Jackson, Tim Brown, Rich Gannon and JaMarcus Russell. However, they failed to recapture the success of previous years.
Legacy
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With a history of championships wins, in addition to a plethora of former players honored in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Raiders are one of the Greatest Sports Franchises of All Time.
