Mark Davis was off to a slow start when he took ownership of the Las Vegas Raiders. A couple of years of futility after he took over the franchise had fans worrying about his prowess to lead it. Although he has gone through some ups and downs, one thing is clear. Davis has slowly evolved and displayed an ability to chance in the process.
Mark Davis has steadily shown he’s a capable owner
Since Davis became the owner for the Raiders, his prowess or lack thereof to run the franchise has been in question. More recently, the skepticism has faded after getting a high-end stadium in Las Vegas and the hiring of general manager Mike Mayock. Looking at his whole body of work, it had a less-than-stellar start but later trended upwards.
Moving into Sin City, success isn’t getting in Davis’ head. He’s as laid back as they come when it comes to his newfound fame in the city. If anything, the owner is showing some traits successful leaders of powerhouses possess. He’s making sure to recognize the hard work put in by his employees while trying not to center the chatter on himself.
The Raiders owner broke his paradigms
It’s not just as an owner where Davis is showing growth. He has has questioned his opinions and has been open to changing them. In a recent article in the Athletic, Davis talks about how he viewed players protesting when the movement started. He says that he wasn’t really sure about the message quarterback Colin Kaepernick wanted to project when he kneeled during the National Anthem. For that reason, he didn’t want any players to take action while wearing the Raiders uniform.
I didn’t see strength in Colin kneeling, and there was some confusion at first over what he was kneeling for. A little bit before that Washington game, I had told the players that while I was the first person for social justice and the Raiders are the first team in the world for social justice, I would prefer that if you had something to say, you don’t do it in a Raiders uniform. Because then you’re speaking for all 53 players and everyone that works in this organization. And they may not all agree with you.
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Looking back, Davis says that was the wrong approach to take. More importantly, he makes himself responsible and takes full blame for his approach to players protest.
I take the blame for that. And it killed our team for the rest of that year. It tore at the heart of our team, and it was a total defeat — socially, on the field, everything. It was a disaster. Just a terrible night. And it was my fault, because I was at the top of the food chain.
What Mark Davis got out of the moment
Everybody makes mistakes, but not everyone will accept it. Some will point fingers at whomever they can blame. Others will acknowledge their failures but won’t do nothing to fix them. Davis is taking a different road. He held himself accountable and looked for ways to improve. More recently, he spoke about Black Lives Matter and has been one of the few NFL owners to do so.
Davis also wants to make a difference in Las Vegas. He has met with Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, and Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo with the intention of being involved in the community. He’s eager to talk face-to-face with local leaders once the pandemic is over.
We discussed a lot of different programs and things that we can do. As soon as this virus is over, we’re going to get together and have an eye-to-eye and let everyone talk and speak from the heart, so we’re all starting on the same page. Starting in the local community is the quickest and most effective way for us to make a difference.
Davis certainly has proved his doubters wrong. Contrary to the goofball he may come across as, he’s displayed he’s the right person to lead the Raiders football franchise for years to come.
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Top Photo: John Locher/Associated Press