Klint Kubiak’s tenure as the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach is off to a solid start. Though the team is 4-5, he has already led them to more wins than they did last season.
Kubiak calls the offensive plays and the Raiders currently have a top-10 offense. The team also has had a brutal schedule to start the year. This week, the Raiders host the Seattle Seahawks, the team that Kubiak was the offensive coordinator for last season.
His playcalling was a big reason they were able to win the Super Bowl. This season, the Seahawks offense has taken a step back without him. Head coach Mike Macdonald only got to spend a year working with Kubiak, but he was a really big fan of the time they spent together.
“I really loved working with Klint,” Macdonald said. “He was a great team player. I think that mentality is probably an underrated part of being a head coach, of being able to see everything in a 360-degree viewpoint.
“Unselfishly, he was able to remove himself from a lot of situations and do things for the betterment of the team consistently, which, from my perspective, you definitely appreciate.”
Seahawks TE Praises Kubiak
Kubiak comes off as a bit gruff and isn’t the most charismatic coach in the NFL. He’s closer to Bill Belichick in temperament than Pete Carroll.
Oftentimes, a very serious personality can rub players the wrong way, but every player who has played for Kubiak has only had glowing things to say about the coach. Seahawks tight end Eric Saubert has known Kubiak for years and praised the coach’s work ethic.
“He works his (expletive) off,” Saubert said. “I know there’s stories about him sleeping in here, like, every day of the week. Incredible work ethic. Obviously respect him so much. Good relationship with him.
“But this week, obviously, hope he loses.”
Macdonald Explains What Makes Kubiak Unique
There’s no fluff with Kubiak. Every player describes him as “all ball.” Macdonald actually appreciated how Kubiak was able to balance being honest without coming off as arrogant.
“He has a way about him where he can kind of tell you the truth and go through, not around, without sugarcoating it,” Macdonald said, “but also keeping the personal emotions out of it as well, which I think got respect from both the rest of our coaches and our team. So, he’s got a lot of great characteristics.”
Kubiak seems to be the real deal as a head coach. The Raiders aren’t winning a ton, but they clearly haven’t quit on the coach yet. He now gets to play rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, which could help him further unlock his offense. The Raiders’ defense is going to be hard to fix this season. They just don’t have the talent or the coaching to be a great unit. However, the offense seems to be legit. If Kubiak can figure out how to get the run game going, the Raiders’ offense is going to be very difficult to stop.
Mike Macdonald Has Strong Words for Raiders HC Klint Kubiak