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Art Shell
No. 78     
Tackle / Head Coach
Personal information
Date of birth: (1946-11-26) November 26, 1946 (age 77)
Place of birth: Charleston, South Carolina
Career information
College: Maryland Eastern Shore
Debuted in 1968 for the Oakland Raiders
Last played in 1982 for the Oakland Raiders
Career history

As coach:

As head coach:

Career highlights and awards
Games played     207
Games started     155
Coaching Record     56-52
Stats at NFL.com
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Arthur "Art" Shell (born November 26, 1946) is an American former collegiate and professional football player in the American Football League and later in the NFL, a Hall of Fame offensive tackle, and a two-time former head coach of the Oakland Raiders. He holds the distinction of becoming the third-ever African American head coach (after Fritz Pollard and Wayne Fontes) in the history of professional football, and the second in the sport's modern era.

Playing career[]

Shell was drafted by the American Football League's Oakland Raiders from Maryland State College. Playing offensive tackle, Shell participated in 24 playoff contests, including Super Bowls XI and XV, and was named to eight Pro Bowls.

Shell was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989. In 1999, he was ranked number 55 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.

Coaching career[]

Los Angeles Raiders[]

Through Al Davis, Shell is a member of the Sid Gillman coaching tree. As coach of the Raiders (at the time located in Los Angeles), Shell compiled a record of 54 wins, 38 losses, and was named AFC Coach of the Year in 1990, when the Raiders won the AFC West division with a 12-4 record, and advanced to the AFC championship game in the playoffs, becoming the first African-American coach to lead the team to the Conference Championship game. Al Davis, owner of the Raiders, fired Shell after a 9-7 season in 1994, a move Davis later called "a mistake".

After the Raiders[]

After leaving the Raiders, Shell went on to coaching positions with the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons, before serving as a senior vice president for the NFL, in charge of football operations.

2006 return to Raiders[]

Shell was officially re-hired by the Raiders as head coach on February 11, 2006. After leading the team to its worst record (2 wins, 14 losses) since 1963, Shell was fired for the second time as Head Coach of the Raiders on January 4, 2007.[1] Although the Raiders' defense was one of the best in the league, its anemic offense, along with a season long feud with wide receiver Jerry Porter led to the team's downfall.

Coaching Tree[]

Art Shell has worked under four head coaches:


Five of Shell's assistant coaches have become NFL head coaches:

Head coaching record[]

Team Year Regular Season Post Season
Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
LA 1989 7 5 0 .583 3rd in AFC west - - - -
LA 1990 12 4 0 .750 1st in AFC west 1 1 .500 Lost to Buffalo Bills in AFC Championship Game.
LA 1991 9 7 0 .563 3rd in AFC west 0 1 .000 Lost to Kansas City Chiefs in AFC Wild-Card Game.
LA 1992 7 9 0 .438 4th in AFC west - - - -
LA 1993 10 6 0 .625 2nd in AFC west 1 1 .500 Lost to Buffalo Bills in AFC Divisional Game.
LA 1994 9 7 0 .563 3rd in AFC west - - - -
OAK 2006 2 14 0 .125 4th in AFC west - - - -
Raiders' Total 56 52 0 .518 2 3 .400
Total[2] 56 52 0 .518 2 3 .400

Personal[]

Shell is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

Shell attended Bonds-Wilson High School in North Charleston, SC. The school is no longer in existence.

Shell is an alumnus of Maryland State College, now known as The University of Maryland Eastern Shore, located in Princess Anne, MD. He hosts an annual celebrity golf tournament

See also[]

References[]

External links[]


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