Why Brady, Raiders Are Not Necessarily Married to Next HC

The Las Vegas Raiders need a head coach for the fourth time in as many seasons. As January draws to an end, the National Football League's coaching musical chairs are winding down fast, and the Raiders are still without a head coach. As unique of a situation as it is, it could help the Raiders.

This is not to say the Raiders should hire a coach they view as a one-season rental. However, the Raiders have had three different coaches in three seasons, all of whom were more qualified to coach their respective Raiders teams than any coach the Raiders could hire. They all failed.

This gives the Raiders' front office the right to have an abstract view of things when it comes to finding the right head coach long term, which Las Vegas' rebuild will undoubtedly be. Nothing about the Raiders is or has ever been normal. That should not be expected from them now.

spyte — 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

Raiders Do Things Their Way

From Art Shell to Lane Kiffin, the Raiders' head coaching position has always held its own allure. The position has a certain mystique that most other head coaching positions in the league do not. The Raiders have always done things their own way, especially when it comes to coaches.

Las Vegas' search for a head coach has dragged on longer than some may have expected. Yet the current state of the coaches available to them could set them up for a solid head coaching role down the road. Of the remaining candidates the Raiders can hire right now, none are world beaters.

As Raiders' minority Tom Brady and general manager, John Spytek, build things out, they plan to do so with much more than just the 2026-27 season in mind. This must be remembered during their coaching search. Other qualified coaches are waiting in the wings, just not this offseason.

There are not many proven coaches remaining that Las Vegas' front office can comfortably believe will lead them out of the hole they are in. However, they have 10 draft picks and plenty of money to overhaul their roster. They can take a step forward and potentially find a better coach next offseason.

The Raiders can fix their roster this summer; if the next head coach fails, they can move on freely. They have fired three coaches in as many seasons; one more will not matter in the grand scheme of things.

Las Vegas' front office must understand there is no wrong move in this current search for a head coach. They are not bound by any preconceived notion to get this specific coaching hire "right," if they are truly thinking long term.

Few realistically expect the Raiders to make a playoff push next season. If the roster improves and the Raiders add a few wins here and there, they could get to next offseason with an improved team, additional quality draft picks to improve the team again, and better head coaching options.

This would give the Raiders a stronger sales pitch to the likes of Mike Tomlin and Sean McDermott, who are reportedly taking next season off. A few additional wins could make it easier for the Raiders to trade their first-round pick for Tomlin, as the Denver Broncos traded for Sean Payton.

From the Ground Up

Every football team needs stability at the head coaching position, which the Raiders have lacked. However, the game is much more about the players on the field. It does not matter what who the coach is or what plays that coach calls, if the players are not good enough to execute.

With that in mind, the Raiders unquestionably have one of the worst rosters from top to bottom in the National Football League. Las Vegas' front office has accepted it is in rebuild mode, after hesitating to do so under former head coach, Pete Carroll. Las Vegas has the resources to fix the roster.

The Raiders' roster arguably needs more stability than the coaching staff does. Las Vegas has had little continuity on its roster over the past five seasons. Trades, injuries, and free agency have repeatedly left the Raiders' roster bare, leading to poor results.

Las Vegas' front office has to make solid additions in the draft and free agency to help the roster take a step forward next season. The Raiders can use next season to build stability upon their roster with better picks and free agent signings. This offseason is about roster building more than coaching.

More Coaches Coming

The following offseason will also provide a new batch of qualified candidates who could be the Raiders' long-term coach. If the Raiders' front office is honestly thinking long term, their current head-coaching search is about more than just this hire.

Having four coaches in four seasons allows the Raiders' front office to view things differently from other teams. More coaches will be fired next offseason, as is the case every offseason. Technically, anything is possible in Las Vegas' search, depending on how the front office views things.

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