The death of Hall of Famer Gil Brandt is being mourned throughout the pro football world, as the former Dallas Cowboys executive has been remembered by rival franchises. That includes the Las Vegas Raiders, who send a message of condolence to Brandt's family and the Cowboys.

Brandt is largely considered one of the leaders in the field of scouting and personnel development. He worked hand in hand with Cowboys general manager Tex Schramm and head coach Tom Landry in quickly turning the team from an expansion franchise in the 1960s to one of the NFL's most powerful teams.

Brandt had a wide ranging knowledge of both professional and college personnel, and he excelled at discovering talent. This gave the Cowboys a huge advantage, because many teams did not have skilled personnel evaluators at the time.

Former Raiders owner Al Davis was one of the few individuals who had the same kind of skill as Brandt as a talent evaluator. The two men shared many discussions about tall aspects of professional football.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones cleaned house after buying the team in 1989, but he maintained a solid relationship with Brandt in the years that followed. Brandt's name is in the Cowboys' Ring of Honor for his decades of contribution to the organization.

“We are so deeply saddened by the passing of Gil Brandt — a true icon and pioneer of our sport,” Jones said. “Gil was at the very core of the early success of the Dallas Cowboys and continued to serve as a great ambassador for the organization for decades beyond that.”