Hiring a new head coach, regardless of who that coach is, naturally comes with risks. After hiring three head coaches in the past three seasons, the Las Vegas Raiders’ decision to hire Klint Kubiak as their next head coach may carry more risk than usual for several reasons.
Las Vegas has continued to search for the right head coach to lead their turnaround. After betting on Pete Carroll’s experience and losing miserably, the Raiders hope going with a younger, offensive-minded head coach who has had success in today’s league will help move things forward.
The Raiders took their time and interviewed many qualified candidates for their head coaching position before settling on Kubiak. Las Vegas left no stone unturned in their search, as they were one of the last teams in the league to hire their coach. Still, even after a thorough vetting, there are risks.
Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports recently graded the Raiders’ hiring of Kubiak. Vacchiano gave the Raiders a B- but also noted a few minor red flags that must be considered. Every coaching hire has its potential downfalls, but the Raiders have set themselves up about as well as possible with Kubiak.
“He is the hot offensive assistant this year after his masterful work with the Super Bowl-bound Seattle Seahawks and quarterback Sam Darnold. But plucking the young, offensive star is often a boom-or-bust proposition, as not every great coordinator makes for a quality head coach,” Vacchiano said.
“The Raiders can afford to take that chance, though, assuming they are patient with the 38-year-old. They are a few years away from contending and Kubiak’s primary job will likely be to develop quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the presumptive top pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.
“What Kubiak did in Seattle surely caught the Raiders’ attention, but don’t discount his coaching lineage. He’s worked under his father, Gary Kubiak, as well as Kevin Stefanski and Kyle Shanahan. A lot of offensive knowledge has been passed down to him.Whether he can handle the big job remains to be seen. But if he can develop the new quarterback, he’ll be off to a heck of a start.”
Only time will tell if Kubiak is the right pick. There is reason to believe in Kubiak, who has undoubtedly earned the opportunity. However, the Raiders’ head coaching position is unlike any coaching or coordinator position in the league.
The job will present things Kubiak was not expecting, just as it did for the previous three head coaches the Raiders have fired over the past three seasons. How Kubiak responds to the natural, unexpected twists and turns that come with the Raiders will decide his fate.
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