Raiders Owner Mark Davis poses for a photo with General Manager Reggie McKenzie at the Tank Younger Award ceremony.
Oakland Raiders Owner Mark Davis accepted the prestigious Tank Younger Award from the Fritz Pollard Alliance in honor of his father's commitment to racial and gender equality.
"I want to thank John Wooten and the Fritz Pollard Alliance for giving my father this award," said Davis upon accepting the honor in front of a packed audience at an Indianapolis hotel during the National Football League Scouting Combine activities. "The Raider organization will hire people not for what they are but for who they are."
Raider Legend and Hall of Fame Coach John Madden introduced Davis. "Introducing Al Davis as the Tank Younger recipient is something special," said Madden.
During the ceremony, a video was played that showed some of the progressive actions taken by Davis. Raider Legends Willie Brown and Art Shell, who Davis tabbed as the first African-American head coach in NFL history, were also featured in the video speaking about the barrier-breaking actions taken by Davis.
Brown was in attendance at the event as well as Raiders General Manager Reggie McKenzie.
"This is a perfect match, the Fritz Pollard Award and Al Davis," said Madden.
The Fritz Pollard Alliance was organized for the purposes of promoting diversity and equality of job opportunity in the coaching, front office and scouting staffs of National Football League teams, by means including:
- Providing networking, mentoring and career development opportunities for minority candidates on NFL team staffs.
- Encouraging adoption of rules and practices by the NFL that foster diversity on team staffs.
- Educating NFL team owners and managers regarding the availability of minority candidates for team staff positions.
- Advocating the hiring and promotion of minority candidates in NFL team staff hierarchy through public education and communication with team and league ownership and management.
