Kubiak Aims to Establish a New Reality for the Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders are set to officially start a new era under head coach Klint Kubiak.

Nov 23, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders helmets on the sidelines at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Coming off a 4-13 campaign that saw them lose 10 games in a row for the second consecutive season, to say the Las Vegas Raiders needed a change would be an understatement. Last season was confirmation that Las Vegas needed to change throughout their entire operation.

Entering his second season as the team's general manager, John Spytek wasted no time, firing Pete Carroll less than 24 hours after the final game of 2025 concluded. Spytek and the Raiders conducted a thorough coaching search and landed one of the top available candidates, Klint Kubiak.

All New Everything

Aug 27, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; A Las Vegas Raiders shield logo flag outside of Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Raiders made sweeping changes across the board. Kubiak quickly filled out his coaching staff, promoting Rob Leonard to defensive coordinator and largely bringing in a completely new coaching staff. This sparked the change Las Vegas needed, as wide-ranging roster moves followed.

Las Vegas is already a vastly different team than they were last season. In 2026, Las Vegas will feature a new head coach, three new coordinators, a new quarterback, as well as new schemes on offense and defense, respectively. The Raiders aggressively created the change they needed.

Finding A Way

The Raiders' front office and coaching staff hope all of those changes will also help them change how things have gone on the field for them in recent seasons. Seven wins combined in the past two seasons is a far cry from where Las Vegas hopes to one day be.

Kubiak's staff has begun changing the culture of losing that has permeated the Raiders' locker room. Of course, only wins during the regular season can truly do that; the process of changing a team's culture from a losing one to a winning one starts well before Week 1.

Aug 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko reacts in the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That is where the Raiders currently find themselves, as they begin preparing to face the Miami Dolphins to open the season. Las Vegas' new collection of players is in the process of learning a no shortage of new things. The Raiders are getting to know each other on the field as teammates.

As they look to put the past behind them, they are learning new schemes, practice schedules, coaches, and game plans. Yet, as they move forward under Kubiak, there will be something else they have to learn. How to win. Wins have eluded the Raiders for much of the past five seasons.

"I think that's something you're working toward all the time, and when you think you have it, you usually have to always be evolving. So, we've got some things that we believe in that we feel our guys do really well that we want to continue to enhance, but, like we tell the guys, there's always more than one way to win the game,” Kubiak recently said following practice. 

“Whether you run it five times and throw it 50 times, or flip it the other way, or you give up yards on defense, but you keep them out of the red zone. So, we've just got to keep preaching winning the game. It's not about how you do it, but it's about getting a win."

Jun 3, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Leonard speaks during a news conference during organized team activities at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The fact that Kubiak has expressed early on that this will be a focus is a subtle reminder of the many things the Raiders have been missing and just how nuanced the game of football can be. As bad as the past two seasons have been, Las Vegas has routinely found ways to lose winnable games.

This is one of the many things that were noticeable about the Raiders' starting offense in their very first drive of the preseason against the Arizona Cardinals. Las Vegas' offense methodically moved the ball down the field, proving they have the ability to create offense in various ways.

Furthermore, on that drive, Las Vegas' offense showed the ability to get however many yards needed to keep the chains moving. Whether it was short-yardage or not, the Raiders' offense showed an ability to be productive in multiple ways. This, along with many other things, is progress.

Good teams find various ways to win. The art of consistently winning games is a snowball effect. It does not happen overnight, but it can happen quicker for some teams than for others. With a manageable first four games of the season, the Raiders must start the season strong.