Ryan McFaddenFeb 20, 2026, 06:00 AM ET

CloseRyan McFadden covers the Las Vegas Raiders for ESPN’s NFL Nation. Prior to ESPN, McFadden was a Denver Broncos beat reporter for the Denver Post. McFadden also wrote about the Baltimore Ravens and University of Maryland athletics for The Baltimore Sun.

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HENDERSON, Nev. — Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak’s introductory news conference last week served as a reminder of the franchise’s glorious past and turbulent present. The 39-year-old sat in front of three Lombardi trophies while Raiders’ legends Charles Woodson, Howie Long, Jim Plunkett, Marcus Allen, Mike Haynes and Rich Gannon stood by his side.

But what remained undeniable was the constant turnover the Raiders have endured before Kubiak’s arrival. Since 2021, Las Vegas has had five coaches and four general managers. The Raiders’ 3-14 record under former coach Pete Carroll in 2025 marked their fourth straight losing season. They have been to the postseason twice since losing in Super Bowl XXXVII.

On top of that, the roster has too many holes that might be difficult to fill in one offseason, and the future of its star defensive end Maxx Crosby has been in question.

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Despite all of the red flags surrounding Las Vegas, Kubiak views it as a place of great opportunity. With the lessons he learned throughout his coaching career, most recently as the offensive coordinator under Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald, and the Raiders’ resources (No. 1 draft pick and the second-most cap space in the league), Kubiak embraces the challenge of putting the organization on the right track.

“There have been plenty of other coaches, but why not us? Why not this staff? Why not this group of players?” Kubiak said. “You look at it [through] the lens of there’s a history of some guys that are in and out of here pretty quickly, I look at it as a great challenge. That’s what the NFL is all about.”

The Raiders landed a highly sought-after coach. They didn’t settle for their last option or a coach whom other teams weren’t hiring.

More importantly, Kubiak wanted to work with the Raiders.

“This is the Raiders. This is one of the most historic franchises in the NFL, with a great history that I want to be a part of,” Kubiak said. “You look around this building and the resources that we have, our meal room, the weight room, the fields outside, the coaches’ offices, it’s as good as it gets in the NFL.

“Been in a lot of buildings for good reasons and bad reasons, been hired and fired, and the resources are here. We’ve just got to go put it all together.”

Coach Klint Kubiak is surrounded by Raiders’ greats at his introductory news conference, a reminder of the franchise’s glorious past. AP Photo/Ian Maule

Kubiak sees the upside of the Raiders at a time when there’s not much hope coming from the outside. The Raiders have enough money to spend during free agency and set the tone for a rebuild. He said he’s excited for the chance to coach tight end Brock Bowers, whom he said can be “one of the best receivers in the NFL, not just receiving tight ends,” and running back Ashton Jeanty.

Kubiak will report directly to general manager John Spytek and minority owner and former New England Patriots star quarterback Tom Brady.

“[Brady] made the mistake of giving me his cellphone number because I’m going to be calling him a lot,” Kubiak said. “What I’m excited about is that we have different offensive backgrounds and how we can pull ideas from each other.”

Las Vegas is expected to have eight draft picks, including the No. 1 selection. But Kubiak was not ready to commit to the pick being Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza — who is projected as the top QB among all of ESPN’s draft experts, saying, “We’ve got a lot of tape to watch before we determine who that’s going to be.”

Owner Mark Davis was a little more up front about the Raiders’ draft plans, which factored into hiring Kubiak.

“It came down to where we are this year, having the first pick in the draft and understanding there’s a good chance we’ll go on the offensive side of the ball,” Davis said. “So it might be a good chance that we would want a young offensive mind that could grow with somebody, [which] is what started, in my mind, the direction we wanted to go.”

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The core of Las Vegas’ offense should mesh with Kubiak’s West Coast scheme, but Spytek saw more than that when bringing in Kubiak. He saw someone with a strong work ethic and how well he relates to players.

Those traits were forged from Kubiak’s previous stops. He was a pass game coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers and nearly defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.

Working under Macdonald in 2025, Kubiak admired the former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator’s conviction and how he held the coaching staff accountable every week. “I thought we had a good game, and on Monday I hated having to look at him in the eye because I knew all the hard questions were coming,” Kubiak said. “… [Macdonald has] been a great mentor.”

Kubiak even praised how collaborative Macdonald was with everyone in the Seahawks’ building. He wants to have a similar connection with coaches and members of the front office in Las Vegas.

The continuity that Kubiak referred to makes the recent hires to his coaching staff understandable.

Las Vegas hired quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko — who worked with Kubiak in Minnesota, New Orleans and Seattle — as new offensive coordinator. Rob Leonard, an assistant in Las Vegas for three seasons, has a strong connection with players on the defensive line, most notably Crosby, was promoted to defensive coordinator. Kubiak and assistant head coach Mike McCoy were on the same staff with the Denver Broncos in 2017. Special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis held the same title for the Broncos under Kubiak’s father, Gary, in 2015 and 2016.

“I saw [Macdonald] be so collaborative with the building and how closely he worked with the general manager and the owner, and just how clear the communication was,” Kubiak said. “We were all on the same page. He had a vision, and he was the same guy from April to February, and that’s something that I’ll definitely take with me.”

“It’s trying to get it right, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” Mark Davis said during Klint Kubiak’s introductory news conference. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

Davis is as optimistic as they come. He believed he had the right coaching situation after he hired Carroll. Even after Carroll was fired, Davis is confident that the Raiders made the right move in hiring Kubiak, whom he hopes remains a Raider for a long time.

“It’s trying to get it right, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” Davis said. “I haven’t done that yet, and I think this time again, I’m thinking right now, we do have it right, and hopefully he’ll be here for the next 10 to 15 years to work with this organization.”

Patience will be required to see if Kubiak is indeed the right coach. In 2026, the Raiders will be led by a first-time head coach and offensive and defensive coordinators. All three are under 40.

And the Raiders could have a rookie starting at quarterback in Week 1. Spytek will enter his second season as general manager, while Brady remains new to the football decision-making side despite his Hall of Fame playing career.

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“Every year you get a new chance,” Davis said. “… I feel really good about the structure of the organization and where we’re at, and the people that are involved.”

Kubiak didn’t make any promises of immediately winning “a bunch of games” or making the postseason.

It will be a daunting challenge but it’s a challenge he’s willing to take.

“In the NFL, you have to earn the second game. If you don’t take care of business, then you get chewed up and spit out real quick,” Kubiak said. “I’m going to have to earn the right to coach this whole season [and] the next season. …I don’t take for granted how long I’m going to be here. I know that I have to earn it every day.”