Raiders legend Clem Daniels passes at the age of 83

A Raiders legend passed away last weekend. Clem Daniels, who played running back for the Raiders from 1961-67 died on Saturday at the age of 83.

Daniels, a native of Texas, started his career with the AFL’s Dallas Texans in 1960, but he didn’t see much playing time and was traded to the Raiders after just one season.

Despite starting out as a kick returner (averaged over 22 yards per return), Daniels finally got his chance to start at running back during his second season in Oakland. Since that moment, he dominated tallying 8,394 yards from scrimmage and 54 touchdowns in his Raiders’ career.

“Until he got hurt, [Daniels] was without question the best complete back in the American Football League,” said former Raiders executive Ron Wolf according to Raiders.com.

Daniel’s 5,103 rushing yards places him third on the franchise’s all-time rushing list behind Marcus Allen and Mark Van Eeghen.

Daniels earned AFL co-MVP honors in 1963 when he became the first Raider to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season and earned Pro Bowl honors in four straight seasons from 1963-66.

Off the field, Daniels was equally as spectacular. He was a notable social-justice advocate in the East Bay and made his mark during the 1965 AFL All-Star game in New Orleans when he played an instrumental role in coordinating a boycott of taxi drivers and restaurants who refused to take African-American customers.