The Las Vegas Raiders are undergoing a pretty major transformation right now. Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is planning to be the team’s next head coach, and he couldn’t be more different than Pete Carroll.
He’s a young offensive playcaller who is still in his 30s, while Carroll was the oldest head coach in NFL history last season. The Raiders were all in on Ben Johnson last offseason, but had to pivot to Carroll when he took the Chicago Bears job.
Las Vegas appeared to feel similarly about Kubiak this offseason, but had to be patient with the process due to his team’s playoff run. Raiders minority owner Tom Brady clearly had a large role in the hiring process.
Though he can’t technically comment on Kubiak joining the Raiders yet, as it’s not official until after the Super Bowl, he did have a chance to speak about what impressed him about the coach.
“Klint has played to the strengths of that team, and last week’s game, I thought he did a lot of great things against a very talented Rams defense,” Brady said on the “Let’s Go!” podcast. “That’s what it took for them to win, I thought the Rams were a terrific team. That was a 50/50 game last week, I thought, in Seattle. … It took a great Seattle effort in all three phases of the game to get the win, and that’s what it’s gonna take here in Santa Clara this weekend.”
Brady Chimes in on Fernando Mendoza
A big selling point for the Raiders’ head coaching job is that they own the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The team is widely expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Brady doesn’t have to play his cards too close to the vest, as nobody can leapfrog the Raiders to take Mendoza, so he offered up some high praise for the young quarterback.
“What do I really value? When I see him and he talks about his teammates. When he wins the Heisman Trophy and he’s praising everybody else,” Brady said. “That’s an endearing quality for a great leader.”
Kubiak Not Ready to Talk Raiders
Though Kubiak is about to take a massive step in his career, he’s also working to win his first Super Bowl. With that in mind, he’s not ready to talk about taking the Raiders job yet.
“I’m coaching the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, and that’s really all I’m thinking about,” Kubiak said during a Monday press conference. “I’m ready to coach the Super Bowl. I’m excited about this week, excited about this game.”
One person who isn’t happy to see Kubiak go is Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold. He has been really impressed with the coach during their one year together.
“He was unbelievable,” Darnold said Monday. “The things that I learned when I was with Klint in ’23 just schematically and then getting to learn from him as a coach, as well, and a person, just the grit. He wakes up at insane hours. He gets to the facility at 4, 4:30 in the morning, and he’s there later than anyone. He’s just a grinder. He loves football. And he’s very honest. He’s very forthcoming with his players that I think myself and a lot of the guys really appreciate about him.”
Tom Brady Has Strong Words for Fernando Mendoza & Klint Kubiak