It doesn’t matter what’s happening in the world of the Las Vegas Raiders—there’s always one constant. Of course, we’re referring to the Silver and Black’s owner, Mark Davis. One look at social media and your vast array of Raiders websites and you’ll note the “Mark needs to sell the team” theme that’s recurring. Well, whether you love or hate the man, Davis isn’t going anywhere. If anything, he’s set on forging his own legacy, one separate from that of his father.
As far as selling the Raiders, we’ve seen with the Washington Commanders that under the right circumstances, a change can happen. Mike Florio, a favorite of Raider Nation, once made note of the fact that there’s going to be a hefty price tag to be paid once Mark’s mother (Carol Davis) passes away. The price will come in the form of an estate tax. However, nothing of substance has been covered with regards to this matter. As of now, Davis isn’t going anywhere.
Mark Davis will be exercising patience; for now.
One thing that we do know for sure is that Davis is a patient man. Whether that’s for better or worse is the subject of debate. When looking back at the different regimes that have held power under Davis, you can see a pattern. Reggie McKenzie and Mike Mayock both received plenty of time; the two previous general managers for the Raiders were given ample time to execute their visions. Both had some measure of success; both oversaw a playoff appearance each, so there’s that. However, looking back, the dubious drafting by both regimes wasn’t exactly the gold standard.
The lineage at head coach also doesn’t scream excellence for the Raiders. Other than the 2016 season under Jack Del Rio and a miracle run under interim coach Rich Bisaccia, Davis doesn’t have much to hang his hat on.
Team success on the field is one thing, financial success is another.
The Raiders are in great shape; financially. Is that enough?
While speaking with executives around the NFL, Raiders beat writer Hondo Carpenter picked up some interesting tidbits. One that stood out was that there’s a belief among the league that Davis is in it to win it. Well, so to speak.
“Now the Raiders are rich in cash; he will spend anything. I genuinely believe he wants a title as much as his dad ever did; he wants to make his mark. He is also intelligent enough to know he doesn’t know football like his dad. Mark loves his dad but wants to make a legacy more than just being Al Davis’s kid.”
The fact that Davis has been so adamant about his support for his current regime, Dave Ziegler and Josh McDaniels, says something. Just like their predecessors, Ziegler and McDaniels have time—plenty of it. If you recall, patience was the last thing that was associated with Mark’s old man. If you fire the power duo, you’re starting over; let’s face it, if Davis wants to ensure his legacy is that of a winner, he has no choice but to trust them, especially Ziegler.
Maybe, just maybe, Davis has brought in a group of people that’ll create him a sustainable winner. Sooner or later, Davis must have realized that his roster was in terrible shape. He did what he knew he had to do: step to the side and let people who knew about football run things. Only time will tell.
*Top Photo: Adam Hunger/Associated Press
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