When the Baltimore Ravens decided to part ways with John Harbaugh, he quickly became the top candidate for many head coaching openings. He spoke with every team that had an opening, but seemed to narrow his options down to the Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants.
The Giants wouldn’t be denied, and they are in the process of finalizing a massive contract with the coach. The Las Vegas Raiders never seemed to be in the mix for Harbaugh, but since he’s going to New York, that’s some competition off the board.
Early predictions thought the Raiders would end up hiring Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, but they haven’t even interviewed him yet. The team has interviewed plenty of candidates with defensive backgrounds, but it appears they might favor an offensive-minded head coach.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report predicted that the Raiders will end up hiring Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak for their head coaching job.
“The Las Vegas Raiders are forever throwing things at the wall and thinking one of them has to eventually stick. After Pete Carroll’s one-and-done run with the club, the Raiders are in search of their sixth different head coach since 2021,” Buckley wrote. “Maybe this offseason will be the one the finally brings some stability to the silver and black. The Raiders have the No. 1 pick and gobs of space. There’s quick-fix potential here if everything breaks right.
“Las Vegas has seemingly prioritized an offensive coach, as four of its first five interviews leaned that direction: Kevin Stefanski, Matt Nagy, Davis Webb and Klint Kubiak. (Vance Joseph was the exception.) Prioritizing point-production feels like the way Las Vegas will go.”
Does Kubiak Fit Raiders?
With the Raiders likely taking Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 2 pick, it makes sense to go with an offensive playcaller at head coach. CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan believes that Kubiak is the best fit for the Raiders.
“Over the past two years, Kubiak has built a reputation for elevating offenses,” Sullivan wrote. “In New Orleans, he had the Saints punching above their weight in 2024. This season, as the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator, Kubiak helped lead the team to the No. 1 seed in the conference with a dynamic offense. If he can get Sam Darnold to throw for more than 4,000 yards and run a unit that averages 5.9 yards per play — tied for the third-highest in the NFL — there’s no telling what he could do with Mendoza if the rookie lives up to his billing as the top pick.”
Do Raiders Have Competition for Kubiak?
The Giants may be off the board, but there are several other very appealing head coaching openings across the NFL. From Kubiak’s perspective, the Baltimore Ravens have to be interesting. They have a two-time MVP quarterback in Lamar Jackson and are considered one of the best organizations in the NFL.
The Atlanta Falcons also have to be tempting. It remains to be seen if Michael Penix Jr. can be a franchise quarterback, but they have some good offensive weapons. The Raiders appear to be in the running for Kubiak, but he could have options.
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