As he begins his second stint with the Raiders, Charles Woodson says he notices one major difference from his previous tenure in Oakland, where he called home from 1998 to 2005: Al Davis has passed away.
“Really, the only difference is the big guy is not here,” Woodson said of the late Raiders owner. “I think that’s really it. Knowing that you’re not going to see him coming out onto the field at any point in time this season is really the different feel to this organization. But I know that the organization is in good hands with Mark [Davis] taking over and bringing in Reggie [McKenzie] to come in here and try to get the Raiders back on the right track. In that sense, it feels good and there’s definitely a positive feel to it.”
Woodson says he regrets that he never had an opportunity to talk to Davis after leaving the Raiders for the Packers in free agency.
“I hadn’t talked to Al Davis since I left. One of the things that I look back on that I didn’t do when I left is just really have a conversation with him when I left the Raiders. Didn’t get a chance to speak with him and I wish I had,” Woodson said.
Woodson said he doesn’t know Mark Davis, Al’s son, who took over the team when his dad died.
“I haven’t seen Mark in years, since I left in ’05-06,” Woodson said. “So it’s been a long time. So haven’t really been around him since that point. There’s only one Al Davis though. I’m sure he’s a lot different.”
And the absence of Al Davis means the Raiders are a lot different than the last time Woodson was in the Silver and Black.