Klint

Kubiak

The Raiders officially announced their coaching staff for the 2026 season on Monday, with the QB coach being noticeably absent from the roster. Raiders beat writer Vincent Bonsignore writes that the team had QB coach candidates in mind, but that “it just didn’t work out.” He than adds that the team will likely wait until next season and reconsider hiring somebody to fill the position. On one hand, the jokes write themselves, especially with the Raiders holding the No. 1 overall pick, which is expected to be used on Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza. On the other hand, the Raiders’ coaching staff is chock-full of of coaches with experience at coaching the position, including HC Klint Kubiak, OC Andrew Janocko, and assistant HC Mike McCoy. There’s also some guy named Tom Brady in the building who will likely lend a helping hand or two when needed.

Brady, an announcer for Fox Sports, was very much involved in the team’s search for a new head coach after the Raiders fired Pete Carroll after one season. They landed on former Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who apparently, like Brady, is “hard-working,” creating “a high level of accountability and discipline, and could lead. And the leadership part didn’t necessarily mean the guy had to be a wake-up-the-echoes speaker.” That the Raiders are building the team in Brady’s image is no surprise given hi success over 23 NFL seasons. That Brady is so intimately involved with shaping an NFL franchise while working as an announcer is another issue entirely.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes that Janocko is also a candidate for the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator vacancy. Janocko and new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak have worked together for years. Janocko served as the Vikings, Saints and Seahawks’ quarterbacks coach while Kubiak concurrently held each team’s offensive coordinator role. Schefter’s colleague, Jeremy Fowler, said last week that he believes Janocko is a “natural candidate” to be the Raiders’ offensive coordinator under Kubiak.

As expected. He dressed it up by saying it would be a collaborative effort with the staff, but them being part of the game plan wasn’t going to stop the offensive mind from getting to use his difference-making ability as a playcaller. Kubiak should be ready to call plays for his new quarterback (obviously Fernando Mendoza) in 2026 after helping pull the best out of Sam Darnold en route to a Super Bowl win.

Shortly after leading the Seahawks to their second Super Bowl title in franchise history, Kubiak confirmed his decision to join the Raiders with NFL Network’s Stacey Dales. Kubiak joined the Seahawks as their offensive coordinator last offseason and immediately propelled them to the top of the league. Seattle’s offense ranked third in points score and eight in total yards, and was buoyed by an efficient passing game that ranked second in net yards per pass attempt (7.6) this season. He’ll take on a tough challenge with the Raiders, but will hopefully benefit from having the No. 1 overall pick, which is expected to be used on Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza. The contract is reported to be a five-year deal.

No move could become official until after the Super Bowl, but after meeting with both the Cardinals and Raiders in-person before departing for San Francisco, it sounds as if Kubiak will be off to Vegas early next week. Assuming the two sides agree to a deal, Kubiak would take over as the head coach for the Raiders, who hold the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft and are expected to take Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza with that pick. Kubiak took over a Sam Darnold led Seahawks offense this season and helped lead them to a third place finish in total points while also ranking eighth in yards. He would take over a Raiders team that was among the worst in league offensively last season, and that has multiple issues on the offensive side of the ball outside of quarterback. Kubiak joining the Raiders means the Cardinals would be the only team in the league still left with a head-coaching vacancy.

Both teams conducted their second interview with Kubiak, who now heads to San Francisco to prepare for the Super Bowl. Kubiak seems like a lock to leave Seattle after his first season with the team, with the Raiders and Cardinals the only teams still with a head-coaching vacancy. Any decision on where he coaches will likely be made after the Super Bowl, but both teams make for interesting landing spots, especially the Raiders, who currently hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Raiders and Cardinals were among the first five teams to ask for interviews with Kubiak. He has consistently been linked to the Raiders, and co-owner Tom Brady has notably called multiple Seahawks games as of late. Kubiak impressed viewers early in 2024, running a then-healthy Saints offense that was eventually hampered by injuries down the stretch. Fortunately, the Seahawks’ offense has largely enjoyed good health this season, allowing Kubiak to establish himself as a top-tier play caller. Across the full season, the Seahawks rank fourth in yards per play (5.9) and second in yards per pass play (8.49).

Both teams are scheduled to have an in-person interview with Kubiak on Saturday per Breer. The Raiders have been positioned as the “prime candidate” and Kubiak’s “job to lose” in recent days, but it might come down to which team he feels more comfortable with. These are two of the weakest organizations in the NFL over the past three seasons. Kubiak may ultimately be choosing between Fernando Mendoza and the vacuum that the Cardinals have at quarterback with Kyler Murray expected to be traded.

Per Fowler, the Raiders are interviewing Klint Kubiak this weekend and will then make their final decision for their head coaching vacancy. Vegas has spent its top two picks in each of the past two drafts on offensive players. They are also about to spend the No. 1 overall pick on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The team is built around offensive cornerstones and Kubiak is one of the hottest offensive-minded head coaching candidates on the market. Barring a last-second twist, all signs point to Kubiak getting this job.