Raiders legends Al Davis and John Madden receive the distinct honor in Ontario, California
On Sunday, Raiders legends Al Davis and John Madden were inducted to the Class of 2022 California Sports Hall of Fame. The longtime Raiders owner and the Super Bowl winning coach John Madden won a cumulative total of 103 regular season games and nine playoff games as a unit in Oakland from 1969 through 1978.
No other person in NFL history has achieved the level of success and excellence that Al Davis has over the course of his six-decade career, which has seen him go from assistant coach of the Chargers to head coach and general manager of the Raiders, to commissioner of the American Football League, and eventually to principal owner and president of the general partner of The Raiders.
Al Davis originally joined the Raiders in January 1963, determined to turn around the struggling Oakland team and create the best team in all sports. Davis, who held the arduous jobs of both head coach and general manager at just the age of 33, was the youngest man in the NFL to hold such a task. No one has had a greater influence on professional football in terms of both personal and team accomplishments, as well as contributions to America’s game.
Al Davis and John Madden began to work together when Madden was 32 years old. Davis initially hired him as a linebackers coach in 1967 and became the head coach in 1969. Madden led the Silver and Black for 10 seasons, compiling an incredible regular season record of 103-32-7 regular season record.
Madden solidified his football legacy in the broadcast booth, where he worked as a leading color commentator and analyst for CBS, FOX, ABC, and NBC. The Madden name became associated with professional football thanks to his work on television, the creation of the annual All-Madden Team, and his participation in the Madden NFL video game series.
We miss them both–not even a year has gone by since their passing. It’s only fitting that Al Davis and John Madden were inducted to the California Sports Hall of Fame alongside each other, as Madden won Davis his first Lombardi trophy. Both Raiders legends received the honor this year at the 2022 California Sports Hall of Fame ceremony held at the Ontario Convention Center in Southern California.