Panthers assistant may save Seahawks from losing Klint Kubiak to Raiders

With nine days to go before the Super Bowl, most of the head coach openings around the NFL have already been filled. Only two spots remain open: the Arizona Cardinals and the Las Vegas Raiders.

Nobody in their right mind wants to take on the mess in Arizona - but the latest reporting suggests that the Raiders are very much interested in hiring Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubik, with one scoop suggesting the job is his to lose.

However, there is at least one other qualified candidate in the mix for the job. According to ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, the Raiders are also considering Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.

Eyes on Klint Kubiak for the Raiders job, but Panthers DC Ejiro Evero is still in the mix there. Some candidates have been eliminated but he has not. He conveyed detailed QB/offensive plan in in-person meeting with Raiders. Raiders regime and Evero have Denver ties.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 30, 2026

That may come as a surprise if you haven't been following Carolina the last few years, but Evero has been considered a solid head-coach candidate for a while now, even if the results with the Panthers have not been all that inspiring.

The truth is Evero has done an excellent job in Charlotte despite having very little starpower to work with. The Panthers finished with the worst defense in NFL history in 2024 in terms of yards and points allowed, but they rebounded nicely this year coinciding with the return of Derrick Brown, who missed practically the entire 2024 season with a meniscus tear.

Even though the Panthers had the worst edge rotation in the league, a linebacker corps held together by duct tape and exactly one pro-level safety, Evero managed to boost this unit's finish from dead last to 15th in points allowed per game. An extremely impressive feat considering the context.

The Raiders' roster is far from decent, but there are perks to the job - including a ton of cap space and the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, which they're expected to use on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. That said, Kubiak can probably do better for himself by staying another year as Seattle's OC and then getting his pick from some better positions next year.

The expectation is that the Raiders will interview Kubiak on Saturday and then they will make their decision. They will not be able to speak with Kubiak after that as he'll be preparing for the Super Bowl.

More Seahawks on SI stories