The 2012 Oakland Raiders season was the franchise's 43rd season in the National Football League (NFL) and the 53rd overall. It was the first season under head coach Dennis Allen, who replaced Hue Jackson, who was fired one week after the 2011 season ended. It was also the first full season without the ownership of longtime owner Al Davis, who died on October 8, 2011, and the first season with a non-Davis family member as the general manager since 1972, as Reggie McKenzie was hired from the Green Bay Packers' organization by Al Davis' son Mark on January 10 to be the general manager of the team, and was given full autonomy over the football operations. McKenzie fired Jackson on his first day and hired Allen 2 weeks later. The Raiders failed to improve on their 8–8 record in 2011, securing them into their tenth consecutive non-winning season and the tenth consecutive elimination from postseason contention. The Raiders also clinched their divisional rank, securing their fifth consecutive season since 2007 which they finished third or fourth. This was also the first time since the 2009 NFL season that the team finished with a record below 8-8. The team did however upset the Pittsburgh Steelers, whom they also defeated in the 2006 NFL season, when the Raiders finished the year 2–14 and claimed the first overall pick in the draft.

The 2011 Oakland Raiders season was the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League (NFL) and the 52nd overall. 2011 also marked the final season under the ownership of Al Davis, who died on October 8, 2011. The Raiders matched their 8–8 record from 2010, finishing in a three-way tie with the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers for the AFC West division title, but lost tiebreakers to both teams, and missed the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season.