At long last, the Las Vegas Raiders have picked a new head coach, as they've pegged Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their man to lead the way in 2026 and beyond. The hire can't become official until after the Super Bowl, but the Raiders have their guy, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Source: After meeting Saturday with Las Vegas and Arizona, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak intends to try to work out a deal to become the next head coach of the Raiders. pic.twitter.com/KlFQiVlDy4
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 1, 2026
This is a slam dunk hire for the Raiders to have made, given how impressive Kubiak was calling plays for the offense of a team that just won the NFC, and it should be fascinating to see how he does in his first head coaching opportunity. What's clear is that this hire says a lot about the Raiders' future and so much more.
Fernando Mendoza will almost certainly be a Raider
What makes the Raiders' job attractive to a rising star like Kubiak after finishing with the worst record in the NFL in 2025 is that they have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and the opportunity to select Fernando Mendoza out of Indiana. Mendoza is coming off a historically great season that saw him not only win the Heisman Trophy but also lead the Indiana Hoosiers to a National Championship.
The Raiders' trade for Geno Smith backfired spectacularly and was the defining reason this season went as poorly as it did. They need a quarterback, and nothing is going to stop Las Vegas from selecting the best one available. Ultimately, there's no reason for Kubiak to take this job without a quarterback plan in place. Mendoza will almost certainly be a Raider.
Brock Bowers will be featured more than ever
What's most impressive about what the Seahawks have accomplished this season is that they've been awesome despite only having one true high-end target for Sam Darnold to throw to. Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the team with 119 receptions, 1,793 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Look how that compares to other Seahawks pass catchers.
Statistic | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Cooper Kupp | AJ Barner |
|---|---|---|---|
Targets | 163 | 70 | 68 |
Receptions | 119 | 47 | 52 |
Yards | 1,793 | 593 | 519 |
Touchdowns | 10 | 2 | 6 |
Smith-Njigba doubled or even tripled the production of his fellow pass catchers. What's stopping Kubiak from leaning heavily on Brock Bowers, already one of the best in the game at the tight end position, much like he did with Smith-Njigba?
Bowers led the Raiders with 64 receptions and seven touchdowns, and he was just 16 yards shy of the team lead despite playing in just 12 games. He's by far the best weapon in the passing game, and it's highly unlikely Las Vegas adds a premier pass catcher alongside him, knowing their first-round pick will be used on a quarterback. Bowers could be in for his biggest year yet, knowing there will be upgrades under center and on the sidelines.
The NFC West is better than the AFC West
Kubiak took second interviews with the Raiders and the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday, making it clear he was interested in both of these jobs. Mendoza is obviously a major selling point, but there's a good chance Kubiak feels he's got a better chance to win in the AFC West than in the NFC West.
Both of these divisions are loaded. The AFC West has the Kansas City Chiefs, a team that feels almost certain to bounce back in 2026, the Denver Broncos, the team that was a break or two away from getting to the Super Bowl, and the Justin Herbert-led Los Angeles Chargers. Winning this division won't be a cakewalk.
There's also a lot of talent on the Cardinals' roster for Kubiak to take note of. Yes, they need a quarterback, but with the likes of Marvin Harrison Jr., Trey McBride, Budda Baker, Paris Johnson Jr. and Josh Sweat in the mix, Arizona's roster is probably a bit better than Las Vegas'. He chose the Raiders in part because of Mendoza, but also partly so he doesn't have to deal with the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams twice a year. To be honest, I can't say I blame him.
Tom Brady has no more excuses to fix the Raiders
Tom Brady wants and gets a huge say in what goes on with the Raiders. He isn't the GM, but let's be real - he's one of, if not the main decision maker. He tried to get this team to win now, but the Pete Carroll-Geno Smith pairing backfired spectacularly, and even the Ashton Jeanty pick isn't looking great right about now.
We can give Brady a pass for how last season went, knowing that the Raiders are now set up to thrive with Kubiak, Mendoza, and a lot of cap space, but what if this fails, too? What if a head coach who the Raiders passed on in this offseason's cycle thrives elsewhere?
The door is open for Brady to prove himself as an executive type of figure, but not every star athlete succeeds in this kind of role. If this hire backfires, it'll be tough to take Brady the decision-maker seriously.
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