( CNN ) -- Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis , who had a storied career in professional football as a coach , commissioner and owner , died Saturday , the team said . He was 82 . In a brief post on their website , the Raiders said a statement would be issued later in the day . The cause of death was not immediately released . Much of Davis ' career was spent in Oakland , where he first arrived as a coach in 1963 -- tasked with turning around a team that was picked to be at the bottom of the standings . The results were almost immediate , finishing 10-4 that season , and Davis was selected as coach of the year . At 33 , he was both the coach and general manager of the Raiders , the website said , making him the youngest person to hold that dual position . His career started in 1950 as a line coach at Adelphi College in New York , the Raiders website said . He also coached at The Citadel , Southern California and for the then-Los Angeles Chargers before going to the Raiders . According to the Raiders website , by the time he arrived in Oakland , Davis had already been labeled a `` young coaching genius '' by Sports Illustrated . As commissioner of the American Football League in 1966 , he played a role in the merger of that league with the National Football League . Davis ' story , the Raiders website said , `` is a standard that no one in the history of professional football can match for winning and excellence . '' He was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame in 1992 . `` Al Davis 's passion for football and his influence on the game were extraordinary , '' NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said on his Twitter account . `` The respect he commanded was evident in the way that people listened carefully every time he spoke . He is a true legend of the game whose impact and legacy will forever be part of the NFL . '' New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson also shared his sympathy on the news of Davis ' death . `` Al Davis was one of the most innovative and dynamic pioneers in the history of the National Football League . He was passionate about his team and about the game of professional football and he personified the legacy of the Raiders , '' he said .
Al Davis was ` ` a true legend , '' NFL commissioner " . Al Davis was the owner of the Oakland Raiders . He had a four - decade career in professional football . The cause of death was not immediately determined .