Art Shell
Arthur Lee Shell Jr.[1][2] (born November 26, 1946) is an American former professional football player in the American Football League (AFL) and later in the National Football League (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 second African-American head coach in the history of professional football, and the first in the sport's modern era. Shell was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989. He played college football at Maryland State.
 Shell in 2006 | |||||||||
| No. 78 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Tackle | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | November 26, 1946 Charleston, South Carolina | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 265 lb (120 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | North Charleston (SC) Bonds-Wilson | ||||||||
| College: | Maryland State | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1968 / Round: 3 / Pick: 80 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| As coach: | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Coaching stats at PFR | |||||||||
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 by-then Oakland Raiders as head coach on February 11, 2006. After leading the team to its worst record (2 wins, 14 losses) since 1963, despite having one of the best defenses, Shell was fired for the second time as head coach of the Raiders on January 4, 2007.[3]
Head coaching record
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| LAR | 1989 | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 3rd in AFC West | — | — | — | — |
| LAR | 1990 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 1st in AFC West | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to Buffalo Bills in AFC Championship Game |
| LAR | 1991 | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3rd in AFC West | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Kansas City Chiefs in AFC Wild Card Game |
| LAR | 1992 | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4th in AFC West | — | — | — | — |
| LAR | 1993 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 2nd in AFC West | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to Buffalo Bills in AFC Divisional Game |
| LAR | 1994 | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3rd in AFC West | — | — | — | — |
| OAK | 2006 | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 4th in AFC West | — | — | — | — |
| Total[4] | 56 | 52 | 0 | .518 | 2 | 3 | .400 | |||
Personal life
Shell attended Bonds-Wilson High School in North Charleston, South Carolina. 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, Maryland. Shell is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. In 2013, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He hosts an annual celebrity golf tournament.
Art Shell is the father of Billie Dureyea Shell who is the Author of the Unfaithful Trilogy, and also great uncle of Brandon Shell, an offensive lineman who was drafted in 2016 by the New York Jets.[5]
References
- "Brother Art Shell elected to the NFL Hall of Fame". The Sphinx. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Spring 1989. p. 19. Retrieved August 24, 2014.
- Cullen, Rick (January 8, 1977). "The spotlight for Art Shell". Salisbury Daily Times. p. 18.
- White, David; Gay, Nancy (January 5, 2007). "Shell fired by Raiders again / Davis called coach's '94 dismissal 'a mistake'; apparently thought rehiring was another". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
- Art Shell NFL Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks - Pro-Football-Reference.com
- "Jets Trade Up, Take T Brandon Shell in Round 5". www.newyorkjets.com. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from NFL.com · Pro Football Reference
- Art Shell at the Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Art Shell at the College Football Hall of Fame