Coaching Hires Raiders Should Avoid for Mendoza's Benefit

The Las Vegas Raiders are in the process of hiring a head coach to find the right leader for the Silver and Black.

The Raiders have not had a coach last for very long, as Josh McDaniels (25 games) has coached the most games since Jon Gruden resigned in 2021. General Manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady hope to find a coach who will last.

Las Vegas also hopes to land Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Given that that is the likeliest outcome, Spytek and Brady should find a coach who can develop Mendoza into a franchise QB.

We have laid out a few coaches who would be perfect for Mendoza’s development, which you can read here. But which coaches would hinder Mendoza’s development? Let’s break down three names the Raiders should avoid if they want to get the most out of their potential future franchise quarterback.

Matt Nagy

Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy looks on during the third quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The Raiders have interviewed the former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator and Chicago Bears head coach, but his offenses have not been spectacular in his coaching days.

Nagy’s Bears had good defenses, but could not get over the hump because they could not move the football. The Chiefs’ offenses became much less explosive when he took over play-calling, prompting Kansas City to bring back Eric Bieniemy to take his place. Nagy would not put Mendoza or the Raiders in the best position on the offensive side of the ball, so Las Vegas should avoid seriously considering him for the head coaching job.

Ejiro Evero

Evero is honestly an impressive up-and-coming coach, but he is defensive-minded, which is not what Mendoza needs.

Evero would also be a first-time head coach, likely bringing in an unproven position coach from the Carolina Panthers to take over as OC. Mendoza needs an offensive-minded head coach who knows how to design plays at a high level, and Evero would not be that. While Evero would do wonders for the defense, it would not be the right situation for Mendoza. Evero will likely do a nice job with another team in the future, though.

Vance Joseph

A coach like Joseph, who has been around the block, doesn’t usually change his offensive philosophies.

Joseph is another defensive-minded head coach who previously led the Denver Broncos from 2017 to 2018, posting a poor 11-21 record. While he has rebuilt his image as the Arizona Cardinals' defensive coordinator and upon his return to Denver as a DC, there are better options for the Raiders.

Joseph would not be the perfect fit for Mendoza, as his offenses were below average in his two years in Denver. It is unknown who he would bring in as his OC, but the Raiders shouldn’t take that risk.

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