Top moments at Oakland Coliseum since Raiders return in 1995

As a pro footballer, he played cornerback for Oakland and Green Bay, where he earned three first-team All-Pro distinctions.

COLISEUM MEMORIES: The Oakland Coliseum will always be a special place for Rivers, who made his first career start there in 2006.

Del Rio offered a thin smile when asked whether Woodson would be available to play wide receiver or return punts over the last two games of the season.

It’s the unavoidable topic as the Raiders take the field Thursday at O.co Coliseum against the San Diego Chargers: the Christmas Eve affair could be the team’s final game in Oakland. “But I knew it at that point in time that this was going to be it”.

“Charles Woodson is one of those players that comes along and reminds you why you love the game”, Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie said.

In his first season with Oakland, Woodson was selected as the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press. On the other hand, as I believe to be the case with Charles Woodson, when a man is defined by who he is, there is great peace in retirement.

“So many of [my] teammates throughout this year have talked to me about next year.

I know he’s going to make plays”.

The Bears also waived running back Antone Smith on Tuesday. “I feel very good about the way I performed not only this year but my whole career”.

The future Hall of Famer, who cashed in on a $250,000 incentive clause for making the Pro Bowl, may also add to his receiving stats before the Pro Bowl. “My body has responded”. With Oakland this time having home advantage, and the Chargers arriving emotionally spent, and on a short week, it´s hard to see any reason why the Raiders shouldn’t once again get the better of their local rivals. “Kind of, but in a way, a couple of weeks ago, it hit me that this would be it”, Woodson said in a press conference Monday. This season there are 37 players in the league 35 or older, and only three are defensive backs. The Raiders have already doubled last year’s win total, but reaching 8-8 would give head coach Jack Del Rio positive momentum heading into his second season.

And the one time Woodson would touch the Lombardi Trophy, during the 2010 season with Green Bay, Woodson couldn’t play in the biggest game of his life – he was hurt. He simply grew up, and when Woodson returned following the 2012 season after the Packers declined to pay him $9 million in salary, he was married and the father of two boys. He arrived for a free-agent visit only to be greeted by fans begging him to come back. “It will be a pretty emotional day”. “That was really cool”.

Raiders owner Mark Davis is actively exploring the possibility of moving the Raiders to Carson, a Los Angeles suburb, as soon as next fall, but Schaaf said she believes Davis’ repeated statements that his first choice is to keep the team in Oakland as long as a deal for a new stadium can be worked out. But he decided he wanted to spend more time with his family, his winery and perhaps start a TV career.