OAKLAND, Calif. -- Al Davis, the renegade owner of the Oakland Raiders who bucked NFL authority while exhorting his silver-and-black team to "Just win, baby!," died Saturday. He was 82.

The Hall of Famer died at his home in Oakland, the team said. The cause of death was not immediately disclosed.

"The Oakland Raiders are deeply saddened by the passing of Al Davis," the team said in a statement. "Al Davis was unique, a maverick, a giant among giants, a true legend among legends, the brightest star among stars, a hero, a mentor, a friend."

Indeed, Davis was one of the most important figures in NFL history -- a rebel with a subpoena. That was most evident during the 1980s when he went to court -- and won -- for the right to move his team from Oakland to Los Angeles. Even after he moved the Raiders back to the Bay Area in 1995, he sued for $1.2 billion to establish that he still owned the rights to the L.A. market.

Before that, though, he was a pivotal figure in hastening the merger between the AFL -- where he served as commissioner -- and the more established NFL. Davis was not initially in favor of a merger, but his aggressive pursuit of NFL players for his fledgling league and team helped bring about the eventual 1970 combination of the two leagues into what is now the most popular sport in the country.

"Al Davis's passion for football and his influence on the game were extraordinary," commissioner Roger Goodell said. "He defined the Raiders and contributed to pro football at every level. The respect he commanded was evident in the way that people listened carefully every time he spoke. He is a true legend of the game whose impact and legacy will forever be part of the NFL."

But Davis was hardly an NFL company man.

Not in the way he dressed -- usually white or black satin running suits, and the occasional black suit, black shirt and silver tie.

Not in the way he wore his hair -- slicked back with a '50s ducktail.

Not in the way he talked -- Brooklynese with Southern inflection.

And not in the way he did business -- on his own terms. Always on his own terms.

"His contributions to the game are innumerable and his legacy will endure forever through generations of players, coaches, administrators and fans," the Raiders said.

Elected in 1992 to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Davis was a trailblazer. In 1988, he hired Art Shell, the first black head coach of the modern era. He hired the second Latino coach, Tom Flores; and the first woman CEO, Amy Trask. And he was infallibly loyal to his players and officials: To be a Raider was to be a Raider for life.

Al Davis' Raiders lost to Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl after the 2002 season. But for a long period after that, they had the worst record in the NFL. AP Photo/Paul Sakuma

Coach Hue Jackson told the team of Davis' death at a meeting in Houston Saturday morning. Fans dressed in Raiders jerseys, meanwhile, quickly made their way to team headquarters in Alameda, where a black flag with the team logo flew at half-staff and a makeshift memorial formed at the base of the flag pole.

People carrying flowers, flags, silver and black pom-poms and even a football-shaped balloon stopped by to pay tribute on a warm, crystal-clear fall day in the Bay Area. A tiny candle burned as well.

"It's like losing a grandfather," said Rob Ybarra of Alameda, who left a bouquet of white flowers shortly after hearing the news of Davis' passing. "He's such an icon. The face of the Raiders. It's hard to put into words how much he meant to everyone."

Davis is survived by his wife, Carol, and son Mark, who Davis had said would run the team after his death.

Davis was charming, cantankerous and compassionate. But he was best known as a rebel, a man who established a team whose silver-and-black colors and pirate logo symbolized his attitude toward authority, both on the field and off.

Until the recent decline of the Raiders, he was a winner, the man who as a coach, then owner-general manager-de facto coach, established what he called "the team of the decades" based on another slogan: "Commitment to excellence."