{"id":682883,"date":"2026-01-16T23:29:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T23:29:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/682883\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T23:29:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T23:29:13","slug":"ranking-the-top-5-known-coach-candidates-for-las-vegas-raiders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/682883\/","title":{"rendered":"Ranking the Top 5 known coach candidates for Las Vegas Raiders"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Those looking for instant gratification when it comes to the Las Vegas Raiders\u2019 coaching search are not going to be happy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">The Silver &amp; Black is among nine NFL teams seeking to land a new head coach this offseason, and thus far, the Raiders\u2019 venture in finding a replacement for Pete Carroll is deliberate. Las Vegas isn\u2019t sitting on its laurels, of course.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Since waxing Carroll on \u201cBlack Monday\u201d on Jan. 5, the Raiders interviewed five candidates with an addition six interviews requested. Our Bill Williamson <a href=\"https:\/\/www.silverandblackpride.com\/las-vegas-raiders-news\/119923\/las-vegas-raiders-coaching-search-2026\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">broke down that 11 with his thoughts on where the coaching search stands<\/a> on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Then, that same day, reports surfaced that Las Vegas was slated to interview Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero on Wednesday, which brought the number of known candidates to 11.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">There are several checkpoints the Raiders reach before making a hire official, however.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Namely, there\u2019s the Rooney Rule \u2014 teams must interview (in-person) at least two external minority and\/or female candidates for the head coach gig. The playoffs enter the Divisional round this weekend with the AFC and NFC top seeds \u2014 the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, respectively \u2014 jumping into the fray after first-round byes. And we can expect potentially more interview requests coming to light after this round.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Thus, Raiders general manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady \u2014 the two men earmarked to lead the search by owner Mark Davis \u2014 quest to hire a new head coach and steer the franchise in a proper direction has ample time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">That all noted, let\u2019s get to my Top 5 known coach candidates for the Silver &amp; Black:<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator: The Michigan Men theme is routinely brought up when it comes to Minter as Spytek and Brady are former Wolverines, too. But Minter\u2019s ability to design and deploy a defense is something to behold. His disguised coverages and post-snap rotations confuse the opposition often making it look like Minter\u2019s defense is steps ahead of the opposing offense.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">He also stresses the fundamentals and his coaching style stresses simplicity and adaptability. Minter faces a steep climb to get the Raiders to Top 10 rankings like he had this past season with the Chargers \u2014 ranked ninth in points allowed (340), fifth in yards yielded (4,849), and seventh in takeaways (23) \u2014 but his relative youth and energy make him up for the task. At 42 years old, Minter steadily rose through the coaching ranks earning the praise and trust of the Brothers Harbaugh (current Bolts boss Jim and former Ravens coach John).<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Oh, also, he brings two-years worth of experience and knowledge from within the AFC West. And that can\u2019t be discounted.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator: Just on his penchant to use heavy formations \u2014 12 personnel \u2014 Kubiak is the type that can maximize the potential of both Raiders tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer if he donned Silver &amp; Black. A bright and young offensive mind at 38 years old, Klint has taken what he\u2019s learned from his father Gary and the Shanahans (Mike and Kyle) and put it on full display in Seattle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">The younger Kubiak orchestrates the third-best scoring offense (483 total points), eighth-best yards gained (5,973), along with the 10th-ranked rushing offense (2,096 yards). All this would bode well for core youngsters like Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty if Kubiak became the head honcho in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Kubiak does run a balanced zone-based offense which effectively uses play action in the aerial attack. And he\u2019s show the ability to put his players in the best possible position to succeed. But there are warts to his career, especially when a team\u2019s roster and depth is whittled by injuries. But with the right personnel, Kubiak\u2019s system is something to watch.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Denver Broncos quarterbacks coach\/pass game coordinator: If the Raiders are intent to pair a head coach with quarterback as the No. 1 overall pick, Webb would be a solid choice as said coach. The 30-year-old QB coach and pass game coordinator for Sean Payton, Webb is lauded for his ability to be a communicator and mentor to signal callers in Denver.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Webb has a direct hand in Bo Nix\u2019s development and being a former college and pro quarterback himself, the coach can easily relate and build relationships with football\u2019s most important position. Having the on-field experience can help a rookie quarterback progress as Webb is in-tune with the trials and tribulations at the position.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">While he\u2019s worked with some of the games elite offensive minds as both player and a coach, Webb\u2019s play-calling experience is very light as he\u2019s only done it in preseason action.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator: Like Kubiak, Schula has strong NFL pedigree (grandson of legend Don Shula) and has learned from the best defensive minds in the game. He\u2019s taken everything he\u2019s learned to create a stingy defense for L.A. that ranks 10th in points allowed (346) while generating the fifth-best takeaways (26).<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Shula has been with Rams head coach Sean McVay since 2017 and has steady progressed. He\u2019s lauded for being approachable and sound communicator while also deploying adaptable schemes that cause confusion for the opposing offense with its array of pressure and blitz packages.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">There\u2019s a lot of work to be done with the Raiders roster and Shula\u2019s career has showcased inconsistency when the roster isn\u2019t up to snuff due to injury or lack of depth.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Former Cleveland Browns head coach: The lone retread on this list but only a year older than Minter, Stefanski did guide the Browns to two playoff appearances during his tenure leading the Browns. Which makes him accustomed to organizational dysfunction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Stefanski is lauded for football IQ and quarterback development. And he\u2019s had to adapt to quarterback changes during his head coach stint in Cleveland.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">That said his play calling can be inconsistent and the execution of his offense equally erratic, resulting in his over cautious nature. Stefanski is a cool customer too and his calm demeanor is seen as lacky the requisite fiery personality often required to get the most out of his players.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Those looking for instant gratification when it comes to the Las Vegas Raiders\u2019 coaching search are not going&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":658146,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2065],"tags":[7,1744,393,86540,2455,2454,6,525],"class_list":{"0":"post-682883","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-las-vegas-raiders","8":"tag-football","9":"tag-las-vegas","10":"tag-las-vegas-raiders","11":"tag-las-vegas-raiders-coaching-staff","12":"tag-lasvegas","13":"tag-lasvegasraiders","14":"tag-nfl","15":"tag-raiders"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/115907380083355498","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/682883","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=682883"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/682883\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/658146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=682883"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=682883"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=682883"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}