The Oakland Raiders are a professional football team based in Oakland, Cal. The Raiders compete in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League. The Raiders play home games in the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, which opened in September, 1966, although it was 1968 before the Raiders officially “moved in.”

The Raiders were awarded an American Football League franchise in 1960, and began play that fall. Their first three seasons were less than successful, finishing 6-8, 2-12 and 1-13. After the 1962 season, the Raiders hired Al Davis as head coach and general manager. Davis was only 33 at the time, and became the youngest head coach (at the time) in professional football history. Davis immediately went to work, placing his personality on the team and organization. The Raiders improved drastically on the field, going 10-4 in Davis’ first season. They slipped back somewhat the next two seasons, going 5-7-2 and 8-5-1, but the team had developed an “outcast/outlaw” reputation due to Davis’ influence, a reputation that endures into the 21st Century.

In April, 1966, Davis was named AFL Commissioner, and John Rauch assumed the head coaching position. However, the AFL and NFL merged two months later, and Davis returned, this time as part owner and Director of Football Operations. On the field, the Raiders improved steadily, winning the AFL championship in 1967. This delivered them to their first Super Bowl, where they were defeated by the Green Bay Packers. In 1969, a new coach took over, John Madden, and a period of near dominance followed with Oakland winning six division titles in the 1970’s. They also developed an even more “outlaw” image during this time, and became known for it’s eccentric, unorthodox cast of players. Jack “The Assassin” Tatum, Ted “The Mad Stork” Hendricks, John “Tooz” Matuszak, Kenny “Snake” Stabler and Otis Sistrunk were as well known for their “oddball” personalities as for their football skills. In 1976, the Raiders defeated the Minnesota Vikings for their first Super Bowl title.

In 1979, Madden abruptly retired, handing the reins to former QB Tom Flores, and after struggling early, the Raiders squeezed into the playoffs and defeated Philadelphia in the 1980 Super Bowl. Due to a dispute over funding for a new stadium, Davis moved the team prior to the 1982 season to Los Angeles, where they remained until 1995.

In recent years, the Raiders have failed to regain their earlier prominence with one exception; making the 2002 Super Bowl, losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Al Davis remains as the “Head Raider” and the list of head coaches he’s employed, usually with less than happy results and endings, reads like a “Who’s Who” of NFL royalty; Art Shell, Mike White, Joe Bugel, Jon Gruden, Bill Callahan, Norv Turner, Shell (again), Lane Kiffin and current head coach, Tom Cable.

After the 2009 season, which saw the Raiders finish 5-11. This made the Raiders, once among the league’s elite for more than twenty seasons, the first team in NFL history to lose at least 11 games for seven consecutive seasons. Al Davis, now 81 years old, continues to make all the Raider’s personnel decisions.

Author Bio: Jason Forthofer is the owner of Touchdown Freak where NFL can buy Oakland Raiders tickets.

Category: Sports
Keywords: oakland raiders, oakland, california, raiders, nfl, nfl football, football, john madden, al davis