Fans and media members who have been watching the Las Vegas Raiders since early in the offseason noticed that players didn’t have team decals on their helmets to start practices. This was an intentional decision for new head coach Klint Kubiak.
He wanted players to have to earn the right to have the Raiders logo on their helmets. He never gave a timeline for when they would get their decals, but it was noticed at the end of OTAs that players had the Raiders logo on their helmets again.
Kubiak revealed that he has been pleased with the work ethic he’s seen from his players, which is why they finally got the decals. However, he made it clear that the evaluation process is ongoing and players have to continue to work hard every day.
“They’ve bought in and they’re working their tail off,” Kubiak told reporters. “So, I thought they definitely earned that thing, but that’s an everyday thing for us to earn the respect of the organization, of the Raiders that have come before us, players and coaches. … That’s something really important to me that we educate the team on the history of this place.”
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The Raiders have wrapped up OTAs, so the next time they all reunite won’t be until training camp in late July. That’s a lot of downtime for players and coaches.
While there aren’t any NFL rules that require players to practice and work out before training camp, most choose to stay in shape. Kubiak understands the importance of taking some time off, but he’s confident that his players and coaches are motivated enough to continue working hard.
“If you go post up on the couch, all that work is for naught,” Kubiak said. “So, 40 days away, you’ve got to be really self-motivated, and we’re not going to be with them every day, but we’ll be in contact with them.
“If you don’t have self-motivated guys, you have no idea what’s coming once they come into training camp,” he added. “So, I feel really confident that we have a self-motivated group.”
Kubiak Wants Players & Coaches Accountable
Kubiak is new to being a head coach, so he’s still in the process of learning the job and his roster. He believes it’s important that the coaches set the standard throughout the building.
“I think it’s our job as coaches to set expectations and to give a detailed plan and to see the players execute it and not walking past a mistake,” Kubiak said. “If it’s not done right, do it again until you get it right because on Sunday, everybody’s jobs are on the line, and we’re counting on everybody, coaches and players.
“It’s just important that we’re all held accountable. We know what the standard is, and we go execute the plan.”
The Raiders have gone through many different coaches over the years, and Kubiak is well aware of that. If he’s going to have long-term success in Las Vegas, he’s going to have to show that he can uphold the standards that he describes.
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