02/01/26 03:47:00
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02/01 15:45 CST Raiders working on deal to hire Klint Kubiak as head coach, AP
source says
Raiders working on deal to hire Klint Kubiak as head coach, AP source says
By MARK ANDERSON and ROB MAADDI
AP Sports Writers
The Las Vegas Raiders are working toward finalizing an agreement to make
Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak their head coach, a person
with knowledge of the discussions said Sunday.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no
contract was in place and no announcement can be made until after next Sunday's
Super Bowl between the Seahawks and New England Patriots in Santa Clara,
California.
Kubiak interviewed with the Raiders on Saturday for the second time and
appeared in recent days to be their primary target.
Kubiak, 38, would be the third coach in three seasons for the Raiders and fifth
full-time leader since they moved to Las Vegas in 2020. He succeeds Pete
Carroll, who went 3-14 in one season in Las Vegas after a storied run with
Seattle that included two Super Bowl appearances and one championship.
Kubiak likely will be counted on to mold Fernando Mendoza, who led Indiana to
the national championship, into the franchise quarterback the organization has
long sought. The Raiders own the top pick in this year's draft, and they are
expected to use that selection on the Heisman Trophy winner.
The front office will have nearly $90 million in salary cap space to surround
Mendoza with talent, the second-highest amount in the league, according to
overthecap.com.
It was Kubiak's work with Sam Darnold that got the Raiders' attention. Darnold,
taken third overall by the New York Jets in the 2018 NFL draft, had been
considered a bust until leading Minnesota to a 14-win season in 2024. But the
Vikings moved on from Darnold, and he proved that season was no fluke, winning
14 games in Seattle en route to making the Super Bowl against New England.
Kubiak's father, Gary, coached Denver to the Super Bowl title in the 2015
seasons, and he played quarterback for the Broncos from 1983-91. Gary and Klint
Kubiak would be the 10th father-son pair to serve as NFL head coaches,
including interim coaches.
Kubiak also has two brothers who are on staffs of other NFL teams --- Klay with
San Francisco and Klein with Dallas. Klay Kubiak, the 49ers' offensive
coordinator, also interviewed with the Raiders.
The Raiders have been searching for a path back to their glory days. Three
Lombardi Trophies sit in the team's facility, but the Raiders haven't won a
playoff game since their last Super Bowl appearance in the 2002 season. They
have made the postseason just twice since then, most recently in the 2021
season.
Owner Mark Davis, frustrated at the lack of success, put the search in the
hands of minority owner Tom Brady and general manager John Spytek.
Brady was notably complimentary of Kubiak while serving as the Fox Sports
analyst during the NFC championship game last Sunday between the Seahawks and
Los Angeles Rams NFC. Darnold completed 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards and three
touchdowns in Seattle's 31-27 victory.
Davis also made it clear that Brady and Spytek will oversee football operations
even beyond the coaching search.
The Raiders interviewed 15 candidates.
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