For a total of 100 days, we'll take a look at the men who have played for the Raiders jersey number by jersey number. This series will highlight some of the greatest players in NFL history. In some cases, the player and jersey number are synonymous. In other cases, the jersey number represents sustained greatness at a particular position. Some players are superstitious about their jersey number. Whatever the case may be, jersey numbers are an important part of the fabric of professional football.
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Lionel Washington recorded 19 interceptions as a member of the Raiders. |
Only eight players have worn No. 48 in Raiders history, including several defensive backs who made a living making life difficult for opposing quarterbacks and receivers.
Charlie Rieves – LB – 1963
Rieves wore No. 32 in 1962 and No. 48 in 1963. In all, he played in 23 games for the Raiders. He went on to play for the Houston Oilers from 1964-65.
Bill Budness – LB – 1964-70
The Raiders selected Budness in the 4th round of the 1964 AFL Draft out of Boston University. He played in 92 games and intercepted 3 passes for 29 yards.
Nemiah Wilson – DB – 1971-74
Wilson joined the Raiders in 1968 after three years with the Denver Broncos. He played for the Raiders from 1968-74 and switched from No. 26 to No. 48 in 1971. In all, he played in 81 games with 67 starts as a Raider and intercepted 19 passes for 213 yards. He returned 1 punt for 0 yards and 4 kickoffs for 84 yards. He finished his career with one season with the Chicago Bears.
Kenny Hill – DB – 1981-83
The Raiders selected Hill in the 8th round of the 1980 NFL Draft. He played in 34 games from 1981-83 and returned 3 kickoffs for 41 yards. He was a member of the Raiders 1983 Super Bowl championship team.
Lionel Washington – CB – 1987-94
Known for wearing No. 48 from 1987-94, Washington wore No. 23 in his second stint with the team in 1997. He joined the Raiders in 1987 after four years with the Rams, and played for the Broncos from 1995-96 before returning for one more season with the Raiders. He played in 122 games with 99 starts for the Raiders and intercepted 19 passes for 200 yards and 3 TDs.
Najee Mustafaa – DB – 1995
Mustafaa joined the Raiders after five seasons with Minnesota and one with Cleveland. He played in 15 games with one start and forced one fumble.
Jerone Davison – FB – 1996-97
Davison played in 10 games with one start and caught 6 passes for 55 yards and gained 4 yards on 2 carries.
Brandon Christenson – TE – 2002
An undrafted free agent out of Northwestern Oklahoma State, Christenson was signed to the active roster January 11, 2003. He was injured in the AFC Championship game victory over Tennessee.