No Panic, No Misses: Raiders’ Coaching Search Stays on Course

HENDERSON, Nev.—The Las Vegas Raiders' search for their next head coach is now into its eighteenth day, and there is a narrative coming out, from those not close to the search, that the Silver and Black have missed or even suffered losses.

Neither of those narratives is accurate.

Las Vegas Raiders GM John Spytek | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

We began reporting before Pete Carroll was fired that, if the franchise had decided to move on from Carroll, it would go with a young offensive coach.

In fact, we reported when we broke the Carroll firing that, “…the conventional wisdom in the building and around the NFL is that the Raiders would prefer a young offensive mind.”

Inside Spytek’s Mind

Raiders GM John Spytek was asked about what he would prioritize and look for in the next Silver and Black head coach. He was forthright for sure.

"We're looking for someone to build this the right way and not think that we've got to produce 10 wins or whatever next year. It'd be great to do. And we see teams like the Patriots and the Jaguars flip it. I've always kind of thought that you're never as good in this league as you think you are, and you're never as far away as you think you are.

And we're just going to go open-minded. The work has begun upstairs this afternoon, and I've got to get back up here in a little bit and keep going. But we're going to prioritize. Whoever's the best coach for the Las Vegas Raiders is who we're going to hire. And we're not beginning with the end in mind, and we want a meticulous build that will set us up for years of success in the future, and we have a great opportunity to do that with everything that we have in front of us right now."

Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Target List Hasn’t Changed

We reported before Carroll’s firing the names we were hearing for the Raiders' next head man. We told you the following names upon Carroll’s termination.

Sep 8, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak reacts against the Carolina Panthers during the pregame at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Names to Watch

Klint Kubiak, Offensive Coordinator, Seattle Seahawks

Aug 14, 2025; Carson, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur reacts during a joint practice at the Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Mike LaFleur, Offensive Coordinator, Seattle Seahawks

Joe Brady, Offensive Coordinator, Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady greets players as they take the field before their game against the Bengals at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Dec. 7, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A Wide Net’s Haul

The Raiders while knowing the way they wanted to go, were not foolish in being tunnel focused. They interviewed a wide variety of candidates, including many defensive specialist, who while not fitting the paradigm, were given a chance to impress the franchise’s leadership.

By casting a wide net, the Raiders saw two young men emerge as potential candidates as well. Both offensive geniuses, who fir the narrative of what they started looking for.

Two More Names

August 9, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Denver Broncos offensive pass game coordinator Davis Webb before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Davis Webb (29), OPGC, Denver Broncos: A former NFL QB, he has done a masterful job with Bo Nix, and unlike LaFleur, already has developing a young QB on his resume. Entering this cycle of coaching vacancies, Webb was seen as a young man in whom it wasn’t a matter of whether he would get a head job, but when. Nix's continued progress with the Broncos, along with his outstanding first interview with the Raiders, propelled him up this list. He interviewed initially with the Raiders on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.

November 9, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase after the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Nate Scheelhaase (35), PGC, Los Angeles Rams: While not the offensive juggernaut head coach like McVay, or the offensive coordinator like LaFleur, make no mistake that this Rams rising coach star takes no backseat to anyone. Innovative, aggressive, and willing to use his offense as a weapon of attack, this out-of-the-box thinker, believed by many he heir apparent for the LA Rams OC job, should LaFleur bolt, may be one or two cycles away from landing his first head coaching job, but his mind has him squarely on this short list. Unlike Kubiak and LaFleur, he wasn’t on this list to start, but the more the organization digs, the more interesting he looks. He interviewed initially with the Raiders on Friday, January 16, 2026.

Reality, Panic, Losses, or Misses

The Raiders interviewed former Los Angeles Chargers DC Jesse Minter. While impressive, he didn’t move up the list of top candidates. The Raiders didn’t “lose” or “miss” on the talented new Baltimore Ravens head coach; he wasn’t what they were looking for. That doesn't mean candidates outside the narrative haven't impressed.

All five of the leading candidates are still available. Including the top three in Kubiak, LaFleur, and Webb. What is there to panic about? The leading three are Kubiak, Webb, and LaFleur.

The Raider Nation can be impressed by the attention to detail and, while staying focused on the direction they want to go, has been open to being wowed. All impressive, and frankly, not the way the organization has operated in the past.

Our latest episode of the Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast goes into detail about the Raiders' not misses, losses, and even excelling this offseason.

Watch the Podcast Below

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