The Las Vegas Raiders honored Carol Davis, the mother of team owner Mark Davis and wife of late Hall of Famer Al Davis who passed away last month at the age of 93, by adding a decal with her initials to their helmets ahead of Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The decal looks exactly like the one the Raiders have worn in honor of her late husband since 2011, as well as the decal they wore in 2021 following the passing of legendary head coach John Madden, with a black shield in the shape of their iconic logo and a silver “CD” in their wordmark font.
Las Vegas also wore a similar decal last season in honor of Hall of Fame center Jim Otto, though it featured his famed No. 00 in a block font that matches the Raiders’ black home jerseys rather than his initials. That suggests Carol Davis’ decal will remain in place for the remainder of the year, as well.
Like Madden and Otto before her, Carol Davis’ decal was placed on the left rear of the Raiders’ helmets, opposite of Al Davis’ permanent decal, with a single black stripe separating them.
“Mrs. Davis was a cornerstone of the Raiders for seven decades and was there every step of the way, from dominance in three Super Bowl victories (XI, XV and XVIII) to improbable triumphs,” the Raiders said in a statement. “As the matriarch of the Silver and Black and friend to all who knew and loved her, Carol’s indomitable spirit and compassion will never be forgotten. If Al Davis was the heart of the Raiders, Carol was the soul.”
Additionally, the Raiders’ coaching staff wore pins with the the No. 43 on Sunday in honor of former safety George Atkinson, who died last month at the age of 78. They also added a matching decal to the wall under the south end zone video board at Allegiant Stadium.
“At 6-feet, 180 pounds, Atkinson may have been the smallest strong safety in the league, but he still brought tons of force to the field,” the Raiders said. “His physical style of play helped define an era of football. George’s contributions as a friend and mentor to the Raiders continued long after his playing career. Atkinson was a fierce competitor on the gridiron … but off the field, his charisma and compassion endeared George to everyone who knew him.”
Atkinson was a key member of the Raiders’ “Soul Patrol” secondary, helping them to their first championship during the 1976 season, with a 32-14 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. His 33 career interceptions rank fourth in franchise history.
Photos courtesy of @Raiders on X/Twitter.
