ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - Ben Davidson, the hulking defensive end who starred for the Oakland Raiders in the 1960s before becoming a famous television pitch man, has died. He was 72.
Davidson died Monday night. He was being treated for prostate cancer. Former Raiders coach John Madden first reported Davidson's death Tuesday on KCBS radio in San Francisco.
Davidson spent 11 years in pro football, starting with the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins in the NFL before joining the Raiders in the AFL in 1964.
That's where the 6-foot-8 Davidson became famous. With his distinctive handlebar mustache, raspy voice and physical play, Davidson helped personify Al Davis' renegade Raiders on the 1960s.
"He was a tough, gutsy ballplayer, team oriented with enough meanness in him to be feared and enough talent to be effective," former Raiders teammate Tom Flores said. Flores, who recently played golf with Davidson, got the news while in Las Vegas for a celebration of Davis, who would have turned 83 on Wednesday.
Davidson played in the second Super Bowl for Oakland after the 1967 season and then was on the team that lost the conference title game the next three seasons.
One of Davidson's most memorable plays came on Nov. 1, 1970, against Kansas City. The Raiders trailed 17-14 late in the fourth quarter when Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson ran for a first down to seemingly seal the win.
As Dawson was on the ground, Davidson dived into him with his helmet. In a rage, Chiefs wide receiver Otis Taylor jumped on Davidson and a brawl ensued.
"Their attitude was, if you've got a shot at the quarterback, take it," Dawson recalled in 2010.
The play was negated by offsetting penalties and the Chiefs eventually had to punt. Oakland tied the game on a field goal by George Blanda with 8 seconds remaining and that proved to be the difference in the AFC West race. The Raiders won the division with a recor d of 8-4-2, while the Chiefs missed the playoffs at 7-5-2.
Davidson didn't play football until going to East Los Angeles Community College. He went from there to the University of Washington, where he helped the Huskies win Rose Bowls in 1960 and '61.
He was then a fourth-round pick by the New York Giants in 1961. He played his rookie season with Green Bay, winning the NFL championship with the Packers in 1961.
He then spent two years in Washington before joining the Raiders in Davis' second season as coach in Oakland. He spent eight seasons with the Raiders. He was a second-team Associated Press All-AFL selection in 1965 and first-teamer in 1967.
"He was just a big, tall, skinny guy that Davis took a chance with," Flores said. "He was able to rush the passer and worked hard to get bigger and stronger, with the character and personality. He was always that way."
After his playing career, Davidson became a successful actor with roles in films like "M-A-S-H," ''Conan the Barbarian" and "Necessary Roughness" and he played himself in Miller Lite ads.
Davidson is survived by his wife, Kathy, and daughters Jan, Dana and Vicki.
JOSH DUBOW,AP Sports Writer
Copyright © 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
My dad Bill Budness played with Ben on the Raiders from 1964-1971. I remember Ben Davidson visiting my family in Mass. as he toured the country on a motorcycle (Kawasaki?) he was a tall guy with a deep voice! He spent the night and then brought my younger brother Keith to school the next day on the back of his motorcycle! Keith was in his glory! I was jealous! Raider for Life!! Lynn Budness Ricker, Delaware
Lynn Budness Ricker
June 20, 2025 | Friend
I had opportunity to meet Ben when he visited Tennessee in the early 90's to play a celebrity golf event with my father-in-law, Tommy Morrow Sr. who was also an ex-Oakland Raider. They were teammates in the early 60's and remained friends. While on business in San Diego, Ben and Kathy invited me out, and in true Ben Davidson style, picked me up at my hotel in a diesel dually truck.. Two of the nicest folks you'll ever meet. I'll always remember their kindness, and oh, the stories!
Cary Thomas
June 16, 2025
I went to Amador High school in Pleasanton ,Ca. With Ben Davidsons'youngest daughter Vicky
Kelli Ringer
March 22, 2025 | Friend
Kathy, Janella, Dana, and Vicki, I just thought of all of you and your Dad today, and though I knew that your Dad had passed over a decade ago, I just now saw this opportunity to offer you my condolences but also thankfulness and celebration of your Dad's awesome life and how much you each meant to him.
I enjoyed knowing each of you during our years of swimming with Livermore Aquacowboys, and now our Grandkids are swimming for Aquacowboys! One of my favorite commercials was...
Andrew A Turnbull
December 30, 2023 | Sunol, CA | Friend
I was blessed to have Big Ben, my dad's friend, come watch me play me play football. Later I babysat his girls.
Ray Nelson Jr.
December 31, 2021 | Aurora, CO | Friend
HELLO I REMEMBER BEN DAVIDSON WHEN I WAS A KID HE WAS A NICE GUYS I HE WOULD BUY US ORANGE CRUSH SODA AND ICE CREAM IN THE SUMMER TIME HE WOULD GIVE US A
FEW BUCKS TO HELP HIM SWEEP UP ON HIS PROPERTY IN OAKLAND BACK IN 1976 TO 1978 HE WILL SURELY BE MISS I WILL NEVER FORGET HIM LOVE ❤❤❤ YOU BEN REST IN PEACE MY FRIEND. MY CONDOLENCES TO THE DAVIDSON FAMILY
Mary
October 22, 2019 | Oakland, CA | Friend
My condolences to the Family's...May God be a God of all Comfort and he will Comfort the Family's...My condolences
August 31, 2019
Godspeed Ben, and thank you for sharing a part of your life with us. A helluva football player!
Harry Simpson
July 02, 2019 | Buckeye, AZ
The year was 1982 3 4 or5 .He came to Mobile Al .The club was Studebakers on airport blvd . Around this time he was doing beer commercials arm wrestling slamming hands thru tables .I was 5-10 180 lbs . The disc jockey said who wants to take on Ben .Me thinking hell no .Friends there started screaming Gene get up there .They knew I had shocked people taking down larger guys . So we locked arms Disco man said go. I didn't go down . 5 or so seconds go by a guy behind him whispered something...
Gene Falls
September 06, 2018 | Mobile, AL | Friend