
ALAMEDA – Charles Woodson got cut by the Green Bay Packers in the winter of 2013, and stayed on the free-agent market for months. The veteran defensive back wasn’t in demand, with only the Denver Broncos and Raiders hot on his trail.
The Raiders threw some guaranteed money in the pot, but they had a secret weapon in store at the team facility. A wild faction of Raider Nation awaited his arrival, hoping their passion would sway Woodson to re-join the team that selected him No. 4 overall in the 1998 NFL draft.
“I had started getting some word that people were going to gather here on my return,” Woodson said. “But still, until you actually get here and see it, you don’t really know what it’s going to be like. That day was pretty awesome to come here and pull up and see all of the Raider fans still having love for me.”
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[BAIR: Charles Woodson confident, secure in decision to retire]
And so Woodson’s second stint as a Raider began.
He signed for one year that turned into three because he truly enjoyed his time back in the East Bay. Now, after announcing his retirement on Monday evening, Woodson reflected back on his second run with the Raiders.
His return highlight was a pitch black era, with little star power or reason for optimism. He wouldn’t will the Raiders to victory. There wasn’t enough talent for that. He certainly tried, playing all but one defensive snap while going 4-12 on a team lucky to reach that height.
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He put forth a similar effort the following year, when the 2014 Raiders lost 10 straight and finished 3-13.
Woodson cited three reasons for coming back another year: 1) He still loved the game. 2) He felt fine physically. 3) He wanted to leave the downtrodden Raiders in a better place.
He has helped usher the Raiders back to relevance in 2015, part of the reason why he was comfortable in his decision to retire at season’s end. While the Raiders still missed the postseason for a 13th-straight season, the arrow is finally pointing up.
[RATTO: Hall of Fame-bound Woodson leaves Raiders, NFL on own]
“I do feel like the organization is in a great place for going forward,” Woodson said. “I think they’re under great leadership under (head coach) Jack Del Rio. I think (general manager Reggie McKenzie) has done a great job considering what he inherited when he came. I guess you always want to leave a place better than when you came in. I feel like this organization and this team is definitely in a better place.”
Woodson played a large part in teaching this unit how to work and how to compete. He set an example all season long. Notorious for skipping portions of the offseason program, Woodson had perfect attendance. He never took veteran rest in training camp. He has been more vocal than ever. He has played through extreme pain after dislocating his right shoulder in the season opener, regularly popping it back in during games.
Woodson has taken particular interest in Khalil Mack, prompting him to be a leader without defying his personality.
That’s a quarter turn for Woodson, who was less focused on leadership during his first stint in Oakland. He grew up during seven seasons in Green Bay, a prosperous time where he won a Super Bowl and was the NFL’s defensive player of the year. Woodson became a real team player and a proud captain in these final years, and this new Raiders regime is thankful for it.
Woodson will formally say goodbye on Thursday night against San Diego, and call it a career after the season finale at Kansas City, where he played his first NFL game.
“I’m very grateful that I was able to come back here and play for a second time around,” Woodson said. “It was a lot of fun. We didn’t get a chance to accomplish what we would have liked to this year as a team, but nevertheless, I had a great deal of fun playing. I’ve still got a couple of games left to still go out and do what I’ve been doing all of my life. I’m excited to do that and say my goodbyes.”