The Las Vegas Raiders will soon reach the point in their annual coaching carousel where any name with a pulse, a headset and a faint whiff of Sean McVay-adjacent charm becomes “the answer.” Enter Mike LaFleur, the latest alleged savior in a franchise that has spent two decades mistaking fresh coordinators for structural change.
LaFleur is a fine coach; no one can deny that. He’s sharp, modern, and clearly influenced by McVay’s system. But the idea that the Raiders can simply pluck him from Los Angeles, hand him the No. 1 pick and expect instant transformation is the kind of wish-casting this franchise has perfected since 2002.
The pathetic record speaks for itself: 14 head coaches in 23 years. That is not a pipeline problem—it’s broken leadership.
The sales pitch, of course, is simple if you’re the Raiders…
Pair LaFleur with Fernando Mendoza or Dante Moore and suddenly Las Vegas becomes the Rams but with fewer stars, a worse offensive line and a defense that is still carried by Maxx Crosby’s relentless motor. That is not analysis; that is brochure copy. McVay’s scheme works because McVay runs it. The coaches in his orbit who have succeeded—Matt LaFleur, Kevin O’Connell—stepped into stable infrastructures with established rosters and functional front offices. The Raiders currently check none of those boxes.
The “LaFleur just needs his quarterback” argument also conveniently skips his Jets tenure, where his offense routinely looked like a chemistry lab explosion. Yes, Zach Wilson derailed everything. But installing a system young quarterbacks can operate is part of the job he is now being proposed for.
Would LaFleur improve this offense? Probably. Anyone not named Pete Carroll calling plays in 2025 likely would. But the idea that the No. 1 pick suddenly makes a 2-13 team appealing defies history. The Raiders tried it in 2007, and JaMarcus Russell is still the reminder.
Las Vegas does not need another “young offensive mind.” It needs organizational direction, roster stability and a front office that knows how to build around a quarterback rather than bury him. Until those conditions exist, every coaching candidate—McVay tree or otherwise—is signing up for the same cycle.
Hiring LaFleur might work. But pretending he’s the missing piece is exactly how the Raiders ended up with their 14th head coach in the first place.
*Top Photo: Getty Images