It was a glorious day for the Raiders franchise on Sunday. The team watched two former Raiders, coach Tom Flores and defensive back Charles Woodson, become members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Plus, Las Vegas welcomed Raiders fans into Allegiant Stadium for the first time.
It was only practice, of course, but Raiders fans made their presence felt in their new home. It was the first time new members of the Las Vegas roster entered the building as well, and for some, it was their first interaction with the Raider Nation.
Raiders wide receiver Willie Snead came away impressed with the fan base, calling them “awesome” and “crazy,” in a good way, of course.
“The fans were awesome today,” Snead said, according to Cassie Soto of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Just going around, shaking everybody’s hand, I was like, ‘dude, these people are crazy.’ It’s awesome to see that. I can only imagine what it’s going to look like this season. It’s an exciting venue to be in.”
Now that’s a proper first impression of loyal Raiders fans. And as Snead mentioned, Sunday was a mere preview to the real craziness at Allegiant that’s sure to come, starting Week 1 against the Ravens on Monday Night Football.
Take a look at the crowd from Sunday’s practice, and imagine what a full house, which will include some 65,000 Raiders fans, could feel like.
Welcome back to @AllegiantStadm, @__RUGGS đź‘‹ pic.twitter.com/5brluIDa3K
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) August 8, 2021
It’s going to be wild, and crazy, when Allegiant Stadium is packed on September 13 for the Ravens game. But one step at a time. The next chance for Raiders fans to make their presence known will be on Saturday when the Raiders welcome the Seahawks to Allegiant for their first game of the preseason.
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