Today the NFL has received devastating news with the passing of one of the pioneers and visionaries in Al Davis. People look over the past five years and have lobbed criticism toward the man, but the NFL wouldn't be the league it is now if not for some of his contributions. Davis was the person who oversaw the merger of the AFL with the NFL. He has probably done more for African-Americans in the NFL than most other owners. He gave great coaches their start when a lot of people thought he was crazy (John Madden, Art Shell, Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden to name a few). Even though he has had some notable and public breakups with few individuals in Marcus Allen, Mike Shanahan, and Jon Gruden, the majority of his former and current players love the man and defend him to the end.
Al Davis had a great mind and was loyal to his players and coaches. His contributions to the game have been many, and it is rare to find a person who is not afraid to go against the norm and do things his way despite the naysayers.
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