Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis has died at the age of 82. Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen released a statement of Davis' passing (collected via the team's Twitter account):
During my 28 years w/the Broncos, I came to know Al Davis as one of the most influential and innovative people in the history of the NFL His competitive spirit and intensity grew our rivalry with the Raiders into one of the fiercest in all of sports. I respected Al for what he meant to the NFL. He was a visionary who defined the Raiders and had an enormous responsibility for the prosperity of this league. I join Al’s family, the Raiders and the rest of the NFL in mourning the loss of a man who gave so much to the game we love.
And from Broncos head coach John Fox, who was the Raiders defensive coordinator for two years (1994-95):
I want to offer my sincere condolences to the Davis family. I will always be grateful for the opportunity Mr. Davis gave me to become a coordinator in the NFL. There is no doubt that I learned a lot of football from him during my time with the Raiders. Al Davis was great for the game, and he will be missed.
SB Nation Denver offers its condolences to the Davis family and the Oakland Raiders organization.