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.