Tim Brown knew the rules. You didn’t cross Al Davis. Not if you valued your career. Tell that to the Raiders legend who, in 1995, stood in Honolulu fresh off a 1,300-yard season and dropped truth bombs that should’ve gotten him benched for life. “If Davis’ influence doesn’t lessen, the Raiders will continue to be mediocre.” Then came the kicker: “Superman couldn’t save this team as long as he’s in control…All they can do is cut me… you guys (reporters) will know the real reason why.” Woah! The audacity, the cojones.
Brown survived Davis’s wrath (somehow). But that 1995 outburst tells you everything about why he just stiff-armed Tom Brady’s Las Vegas reboot. Recently, former WR Tim Brown made an appearance on the Up & Adams Show for a quick chat. At one point, host Kay Adams floated an interesting question, asking Brown if he’d ever consider joining the Raiders’ front office. Leaning back in his chair, the Hall of Famer didn’t hesitate. “I don’t think so,” he said with a laugh. But he wasn’t completely shutting the door; instead, he clarified his stance.
“I love the role I have with the Raiders now—whatever that is, officially,” Brown admitted. “Unofficially? If they need me, I’ll show up. But I think the grind of being there on a day-to-day basis would probably be a little bit too much for me.”
These days, Tim has his hands full as the Arena League’s commissioner and chairman—a role that’s been keeping him plenty busy. The nine-time Pro Bowler even touched on one of the league’s recent innovations: replacing traditional kickoffs with a ‘throw-off.’ This came up when host Kay asked Brown what rule he’d push for if he could ask NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to change one thing. Without missing a beat, the Hall of Famer fired back: “Get rid of kickers.“
Of course, Brown wants to kill the kicking game; he’s been eliminating obstacles his whole career. But some hurdles cut deeper than special teams. Back to the Al Davis and Tim Brown beef. So, when the former WR rejected the idea of joining the Raiders brass, it brought back some memories that are not at all pleasant.
A quiet goodbye for Tim Brown
Tim’s retirement ceremony should have been a triumphant celebration for the man who became ‘Mr. Raider’. But the Hall of Famer’s farewell in July 2005 carried more mixed emotions than anyone expected. Nearly a year after his final NFL snap with Tampa Bay, the Raiders’ leading receiver finally signed that symbolic one-day contract to retire in silver and black. Though the occasion felt strangely incomplete without Al Davis in the room.
Brown’s trademark grin couldn’t completely mask the awkwardness of the moment. At 39, he joked he could still play five more years “Maybe that’s why I should retire now“. But everyone knew this was about unfinished business. Browns’ unceremonious release in 2003 after 16 legendary seasons, followed by that forgettable year with Gruden’s Buccaneers, had left scars. The Raiders’ explanation for Davis’ absence – “scheduling conflicts” – rang hollow for a player who’d once been among the few Davis listened to in team meetings.
The hotel ballroom near Raiders headquarters became an odd reunion of franchise ghosts. There was Marcus Allen, still estranged from Davis after 13 years, paying tribute to Brown’s consistency. Brown took it all in stride, because what else could he do? When asked about Davis’s absence, he offered the kind of diplomatic answer that comes from years of navigating Raiders politics, “Mr. Davis and I have had our cross words, but there’s mutual respect.”
The whole scene was peak Raiders: a franchise that celebrated its rebels but rarely gave them the send-off they deserved. Even in that moment, you could see why he’d later turn down a role in Vegas. Some doors, once closed, stay closed.
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