Raiders Need Their Special Teams To Be Special in 2026

The Las Vegas Raiders had a laundry list of issues during the 2025 season. Their special teams unit ranked high on the list early during the season, leading to the first of two coordinator firings for Pete Carroll last season. Sometimes, the unit's early issues get overlooked when thinking about 2025.

However, the unit singlehandedly lost multiple games last season. They had a game-winning field goal blocked. The unit allowed multiple game-changing returns by opposing teams on both kickoffs and punt returns. They also had several punts blocked as well. It was bad.

Watch Raiders ST Coach Joe DeCamillis Discuss Mandatory Minicamp and More Below

Raiders Need All Three Units To Step Up

This offseason, the Raiders hired Klint Kubiak, who hired Joe DeCamillis as Las Vegas' special teams coordinator. He has been tasked with getting the most out of a unit with more talent on it, but still in need of significant coaching, especially amid the league's ever-changing special teams rules.

During Organized Team Activities and mandatory minicamp, DeCamillis has been hard at work along with the rest of the Raiders. The Raiders' coaching staff is trying to get as much development as possible during this time, with training camp and the regular season just weeks away.

DeCamillis has decades of experience in the National Football League. Before joining the Raiders, DeCamillis spent time with the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, and the Atlanta Falcons, among other teams. As with several of Kubiak's coaching hires, DeCamillis past connects to his.

DeCamillis spent time with both Kubiak and his father, Gary Kubiak, albeit many years ago, at different stages of his career. By hiring DeCamillis as one of his three coordinators, Kubiak gave himself yet another trusted coaching source who possesses years of experience.

"Well, I worked for his dad. His dad actually played for us in Denver when I first started. He was a quarterback there. Had a chance -- he asked me to come with him a couple other times, and I wasn't able to go with him because I was under contract to a few other places,” DeCamillis said following mandatory minicamp, while explaining his decision to join the Raiders.

“But a ton of respect for the family. And then I worked with Klint [Kubiak] for a year when he was quality control in '16, so I'd already had a relationship with him. It just worked out great. There's a lot of similarities between him and his dad, but there's some differences too."

The obvious connection between Kubiak and his father will always be a part of his story and his rise up the coaching ranks. Yet, that connection is a benefit that many other first-time head coaches do not have and should help make his early stages in Las Vegas easier.

DeCamillis elaborated, noting some similarities he has observed between the Kubiaks. As he enters his first regular season as a head coach in the league, the Raiders hope Kubiak will be able to draw on lessons from his father and his own dealings around the league.

“Both are very, very detail-oriented. They love ball, which I think is huge, and he's done a great job of organizing things since he's been here, which I knew he would. So, it's great to be with him, for sure, and the whole staff. I've worked with a few guys that are on the staff also," Decamillis said.

The Raiders' special teams coach has had no time to take it easy or ease into it, as they already have a critical decision on their hands. After moving on from Daniel Carlson, Las Vegas must decide on its kicker for the upcoming season.

"Yeah, it's hard to say that I've ever had anybody like him. I've had a guy named Jay Feely, who was getting ready to get out of it, went to a camp, and he ended up kicking for about 14 more years after that."

“So, it was kind of a different story, but more self-taught, but this guy's done a great job in college, like he had film to watch. It wasn't like he just came off the street, and he's one of those tryout guys that never kicked. I mean, he had great film in college to watch, and I think it's going to be a heck of a story, and hopefully he's able to compete with Matt [Gay], and we pick the best guy."

Special teams often get overlooked because they are not nearly as flashy as scoring touchdowns, recording tackles, or interceptions. Yet, the Raiders know all too well how critical the third aspect of the game is to their chances of winning more games moving forward.

Las Vegas has left no stone unturned this offseason, including on special teams. This season, the Raiders need the unit to be special. Or, at the very least, not bad enough to singlehandedly lose multiple games like last season.

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