The Las Vegas Raiders are in the middle of their head coach search to replace Pete Carroll, who was fired after one season in which he went 3-14.
With the No. 1 pick also in their hand, the Silver and Black cannot afford to get this hiring wrong with the likelihood that Indiana Hoosiers QB Fernando Mendoza will be their next signal-caller.
Amid their search, the Raiders’ minority owner, Tom Brady, spoke with the Associated Press on Jan. 13, and the outlet published the video on Jan. 15 about where the team stands in filling its vacant position.
“I think every team right now is going through their own process to try to figure out what best suits them,” Brady told the AP. “We want to deliver a winner in Las Vegas. The fan base deserves it, and it’s been a long time. So, there’s a lot of pieces of the puzzle you got to get right, but I’m certainly very excited that we’re going to get things going in the right direction.”
The Raiders Could Go With a Young Offensive Mind as HC
With the Raiders speaking to several names, during his Jan. 13 appearance on CBS Sports HQ, NFL writer Tyler Sullivan noted the perfect candidate for Las Vegas, since the Raiders will likely have Mendoza, who needs help developing at the pro level.
“[The Raiders] certainly want some stability because I think they’re paying like every head coach now,” Sullivan said. “It feels like in a prior contract, it just hasn’t worked out for them. So, it’s been an expensive endeavor, which is kind of why I don’t think they’re going to get one of those guys looking for a second [head coaching] gig, because it’s probably going to command a little bit more money.
“I think a guy like Klint Kubiak is someone who I find would be really interesting because, as much as we’re joking about the Raiders right now, I think that this is a really interesting job for somebody just like him who has an offensive mind, and this is somewhat close to a blank slate.”
Las Vegas Have Building Blocks for Incoming Head Coach
The Raiders are a three-win team and finished at the bottom of the standings. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t building blocks for a potential head coach to build on upon his arrival. Furthermore, with the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, they can potentially have a young QB in the mix, too.
“They have the No. 1 overall pick that potentially could be Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza,” Sullivan added. “It’s still obviously early in the process, but you’re probably going to take a quarterback number one overall, probably going to be Mendoza.
“You bring in a young quarterback like that with already some interesting skill position players like Ashton Jeanty, who they spent the first-round pick on, [and] Brock Bowers at the tight end spot. That’s a very interesting nucleus that you already have to start building up your offense along with your cap space.”
Tom Brady Delivers Major Update on Raiders Head Coach Search