How the Raiders Aced Their Presumed HC Hire with Klint Kubiak

The Las Vegas Raiders finally appear to have filled their head coaching vacancy, as Klint Kubiak prepares to take the lead.

Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Tom Brady signs autographs before the 2026 NFC Championship Game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders finally landed Klint Kubiak as their next head coach.

Raiders Get Their Guy

The Raiders were one of the final teams in the National Football League to secure their next head coach. They believe it will be worth the wait in the long run. At the very least, they expect him to be better than the three head coaches they have hired in the past three offseasons.

Aug 25, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak pacing the sidelines against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Las Vegas' front office was interested in Kubiak from the start of the offseason, but Kubiak still coaching in the NFL playoffs naturally delayed the process. With Kubiak reportedly set to become the Raiders' next head coach, Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports gave the Raiders an 'A' on the hire.

"It was very apparent during the NFC title game broadcast just how much admiration Raiders minority owner Tom Brady has for Kubiak, so it's not exactly surprising that the Raiders are on the verge of landing him as their man," Sullivan said.

Jan 4, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll walks off the field after the Raiders defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 14-12 at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

"Arguably the most sought-after offensive head coach on the market this cycle, Kubiak seemingly had his choice between the last two available head coaching jobs, and ended appears to be choosing the one in Las Vegas. He's the latest branch off the Shanahan tree, as his father Gary and Kyle's father Mike worked together for years and then Klint himself worked under Kyle in San Francisco as the 49ers' passing game coordinator in 2023."

"The Shanahan/Kubiak style of offense makes for a good fit with presumptive No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, who obviously had to be on the Raiders' mind when making this hire. Finding an offensive play-caller as the head coach is something most teams preparing to draft a young quarterback tend to do these days, and this offseason, there probably wasn't a better option available to fill that role than Kubiak."

Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Tom Brady signs autographs before the 2026 NFC Championship Game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Shortly after moving on from Pete Carroll, the Raiders ' general manager, John Spytek, noted how critical the decisions were. With Kubiak set to join the team soon and Mendoza all but guaranteed to land in Las Vegas, there is reason for the Raiders to be optimistic.

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (15) gets loose before the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"The league is littered with when you get the top pick right, those guys are franchise-altering players. There's probably no more important hire in an NFL organization than the head coach. They're the daily guy. They set the vision, they set the cadence. They are what touches the players every day and demand excellence from players,” Spytek said.

“And the players are the ones that have to go out there and do it. And the more good players you have, and the better person at the helm that you have steering that ship, my experiences is, the more successful you are.”

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek walks on the sideline before the CFP National Championship college football game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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