Carol Davis, widow of Al Davis and 'First Lady of Raider Nation,' dies at 93

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Carol Davis, the widow of longtime Raiders owner Al Davis and the mother of current owner Mark Davis, has died. She was 93.

The Raiders announced that Carol Davis, known as “The First Lady of Raider Nation,” died on Friday and that Mark lit the Al Davis Memorial Torch at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday in her honor.

Carol Sagal married Al Davis in 1954 and has been part of the Raiders organization ever since Al was hired as coach in 1963 and eventually became owner. The Raiders won three Super Bowl titles under Al Davis’ leadership following the 1976, ’80 and ’83 seasons.

“Carol provided unbridled support and unparalleled guidance to the Davis family and the Raiders organization for over 60 years,” the team said in a statement. “Her direct impact on the Greatness of the Raiders continues to be felt, cherished, and honored, and is woven into the fabric of this historic franchise. If Al was the heart of the Raiders, Carol was the soul.”

Mark Davis, the couple’s only child, was born in 1955. He took over control of the franchise after Al died in 2011 although Carol retained a share of ownership.

Carol Davis played mostly a behind-the-scenes role, although she was on hand for for the groundbreaking of Allegiant Stadium in 2017 and lit the Al Davis torch before the team’s first game in Las Vegas in 2020, when no fans were at the game because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There’s nobody that could have lit it other than her,” Mark Davis told ESPN at the time. “Because it’s really a tough time in the country, but also here in Nevada, we don’t want to seem that we’re celebrating or anything of that nature. But to have my mom light that torch means so much, and I think it will mean a lot for everybody in this valley, so I’m excited.”

Carol Davis also presented former Raiders coach Tom Flores for his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.

Carol Davis survived a heart attack and stroke in 1979 that left her in a coma for more than three weeks. Al Davis left the team during that time and was by Carol’s side in the hospital before she eventually made a full recovery.

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