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.
Ben Davidson played for the Raiders from 1964-71.
Thirteen players have worn No. 83 in Raiders history, including two legendary defenders who were as eccentric as they were dominant.
Doug Asad – TE – 1960-61
Asad, who attended Northwestern, played in 27 games for the Raiders and caught 56 passes for 789 yards and three scores.
Ben Davidson – DE – 1964-71
Davidson and his signature handlebar moustache joined the Raiders after a year with Green Bay and two with Washington. He played in 152 games and was credited with two fumble recoveries. Davidson was named 1st Team All-AFL by the Associated Press in 1967, and he was selected for three AFL All-Star games. Davidson was a member of the Raiders AFL Championship team that played in Super Bowl II.
Ted Hendricks – LB –1975-83
The Raiders traded two draft picks to Green Bay for Hendricks' rights. Hendricks joined the Raiders after five years with the Baltimore Colts and one with the Packers. He played in 131 games with 122 starts and was a key member of all three Raiders Super Bowl winning teams. He recorded 10 interceptions for 111 yards and one score. He recovered 10 fumbles as well. He was named to the Pro Bowl four times as a Raider and selected 1st team All-Pro twice. "Kick 'em in the Head Ted" was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.
Tim Moffett – WR – 1985-86
The Raiders selected Moffett in the 3rd round of the 1985 NFL Draft out of Mississippi. He played in 29 games with one start and caught 11 passes for 167 yards. He went on to play for San Diego in 1987.
Carl Aikens – WR – 1987
Aikens played in three games with three starts and caught eight passes for 134 yards and three TDs in 1987.
Willie Gault – WR – 1988-93
Gault joined the Raiders after five years with the Chicago Bears. He played in 94 games with 69 starts and caught 149 passes for 2,985 yards and 17 TDs. He also returned eight kickoffs for 203 yards. Gault made the U.S. Olympic team on two occasions – as a sprinter (the U.S. boycotted the 1980 Olympics) and as a bobsledder.
Kevin Smith – TE – 1994
The Raiders selected Smith in the 7th round of the 1992 NFL Draft out of UCLA. He wore No. 39 from 1992-93 and No. 83 in 1994. In all, he played in 14 games with one start and caught one pass for eight yards. He went on to play in one game for Green Bay in 1996.
Rickey Dudley – TE – 1996-00
The Raiders selected Dudley in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. He played in 80 games with 78 starts and caught 186 passes for 2,627 yards and 29 TDs. He went on to play for Cleveland and Tampa Bay.
Marcus Knight – WR – 2001-02
An undrafted free agent out of Michigan, Knight played in 21 games with two starts and returned 29 kickoffs for 705 yards and caught three passes for 26 yards.
O.J. Santiago – TE – 2003
Santiago joined the Raiders after three years with Atlanta, one with Dallas and one with Cleveland. He played in 12 games with seven starts and caught five passes for 69 yards.
Courtney Anderson – TE – 2004-06
The Raiders selected Anderson in the 7th round of the 2004 NFL Draft out of San Jose State. He played in 39 games with 28 starts and caught 62 passes for 763 yards and six touchdowns. He went on to play for both Atlanta and Detroit in 2007.
Brandon Myers – TE – 2009-12
The Raiders selected Myers in the 6th round of the 2009 NFL Draft out of Iowa. He played in 58 games with 28 starts and caught 111 passes for 1,056 yards and four TDs. He spent 2013 with the New York Giants and recently signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Scott Simonson - TE - 2014-present
An undrafted free agent out of Assumption, Simonson appeared in four games during his rookie season in Silver and Black.
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