Derek Carr is still young enough to end his retirement and return to the football field, but he seems content not playing anymore. However, that doesn’t mean he wants to be done with football entirely.
He has said that he’d love to be the Las Vegas Raiders‘ next head coach, but the team isn’t going to hire a head coach with no coaching experience. Though he’s not going to be a head coach anytime soon, he could make a lot of sense for the Raiders if they hire Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Former Raiders beat writer Vincent Bonsignore thinks Carr would be a great fit for the team’s coaching staff.
“I’d be on board with that. (Derek Carr) would be as hot or hotter a coaching candidate as anyone if he chose that path. He’s a natural leader,” Bonsignore wrote on X.
Carr and Kubiak worked together last season on the New Orleans Saints. The former quarterback has said that Kubiak would be a great fit with the Raiders. The two seem to have a strong relationship. Kubiak is going to have a lot of positions to hire for his coaching staff, so it’s entirely possible Carr could be one of the people he calls.
What Role Makes Sense for Carr?
Kubiak will almost certainly call the offensive plays if the Raiders hire him, so that gives him some flexibility with his offensive staff. The team is likely to use the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The quarterbacks coach hire is going to be very important.
Carr could make some sense in that role. He knows what it’s like to start for the Raiders as a rookie, and his playing style is similar to Mendoza’s. He’d be a great resource for the rookie quarterback to have.
The Raiders might want to go with somebody more experienced in that role, so Carr could potentially be an assistant quarterbacks coach. He could even be an offensive assistant. There is no shortage of entry-level roles that Carr could have. It depends on how far along Kubiak thinks he is. It’d certainly be a fun story to have the Raiders’ all-time leading passer back with the franchise.
Kubiak to Raiders Not a Guarantee
With Denver Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb pulling his name from the Raiders’ coaching search, it would appear that the team is banking on Kubiak accepting the job.
However, that’s no guarantee. It’s possible that he’s given word to the Raiders that he’s very interested, but he can’t sign a contract until after the Super Bowl.
The Raiders interview for a second time in the coming days, so they should have a much better idea of where his head is at then. Las Vegas is going to need some kind of verbal commitment from him, or they might have to look at other candidates. That would be close to a disaster for the Raiders, as it seems like they’ve specifically been waiting to hire Kubiak.
Derek Carr Floated as Possible Raiders Coach on Klint Kubiak’s Staff