Kubiak's Approach Will Be Significant Factor in Raiders' Turnaround

Last offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders hired the oldest coach in NFL history. Shortly after Pete Carroll was hired, he had another birthday, breaking his own record as the oldest coach in NFL history. As great as Carroll's career was, the Raiders needed something different.

Raiders' Turnaround

Las Vegas entered the offseason knowing exactly what it wanted in its next head coach. The Raiders' front office made it clear they wanted a young, offensive-minded head coach who had proven himself in today's league. Not in yesterday's league, as a former player or coordinator.

In Kubiak, the Raiders have a head coach who has plenty to learn but also enough knowledge to be successful in today's league. After being such an integral part of the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl win as a coordinator, Kubiak has earned the chance to prove himself further.

In combination with the rest of the Raiders' coaching staff, roster moves this offseason, Kubiak has been put in a position to succeed immediately. He has been set up better than any of the Raiders' most recent three head coaches. The rest is up to him to execute properly.

Kubiak's Approach

That is the beauty of where Kubiak, specifically, sits before the start of the 2026 season, his first as a head coach in the league. He undoubtedly has more to concern himself with now that he has been elevated from coordinator to head coach, but fewer than those of previous Raiders head coaches.

Kubiak simply has to focus on fixing the Raiders' offense, which has been one of the worst in the league over the past few years. Las Vegas has improved in every facet of the game this offseason. Now, Kubiak must take the baton and run with it. He is prepared. He has been set up nicely.

Yet, as the head coach of one of the most storied franchises in the league, Kubiak has been tasked with turning around much more than just the Raiders' offense. He must turn around the team's culture and locker room, which he now leads. He has already made an impression.

The Raiders are nowhere near where they hope to be, but Kubiak is already imprinting his personality upon the team. It is said that teams take on the personality of their head coach. Veteran safety Eric Stokes recently explained what he has noticed about Kubiak.

“Me and you got pretty much the same thing, it's all ball with him. And that's what I love, like he steps up but he isn’t taking no little giggles, no nothing. Like, we about business. We’re coming in, we’re doing this and doing that, like there isn’t any other unnecessary stuff going on," Stokes said.

"Like, nah, he's just straight ball. I only seen one tone from him. I haven’t seen another different tone, no nothing. He’s just pretty much one tone and just all ball. I love it."

Newly-signed center Tyler Linderbaum echoed a similar sentiment about Kubiak, noting his straightforward approach. Kubiak's approach will be well noted moving forward, as has been the case with each of the Raiders' most recent head coaches.

“I think as players, you don't want any gray area. You want things to be black and white, and I think Coach [Klint] Kubiak does a good job of that,” Linderbaum said.

“His expectations, you know what they are, and if you're not meeting his expectations, then you understand that, and I think as players, it's our job to uphold the standard that he has in place and then continue to push each other and push others around you. But it's been awesome to work with Coach Kubiak and the whole coaching staff, trying to get his message out to the players. It's been fun."

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