Newly signed Charles Woodson completed his first OTA's this week after returning to Oakland where his NFL career began 15 years ago and where he spent the first eight years of that Hall of Fame career.
His returning to sign with the Raiders was something the fans pushed hard for. Their presence at headquarters on the day he visited not only showed him how much they wanted him back but it showed the team as well.
"I tell you man, it was overwhelming and I think that if at any time I'd ever forgotten what the love was like in Oakland, I was definitely reminded," said Woodson. "It played a big part (in me getting a deal done). I think I was actually scared of leaving the facility and not having a deal done. I don't know if I would have made it out of there. But that was a big deal, and receiving that kind of welcome, it definitely put me in a mindset that it would be a good decision to make it happen."
"It feels good to put the Silver and Black back on. It's been a long time," said Woodson following his first practice as a Raider. "I spent more time here than anywhere else... This is like a second home to me as well. Drafted here. Spent eight years here. Had great years here. We had a lot of ups and downs but I loved it here. I still have people I consider family here. So, it was gonna be hard to come here and sit down with Reggie and DA but just being in this building, seeing the fans at the gate coming in, it was gonna be hard to leave. I don't think people understood that."
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