As it stands, the Las Vegas Raiders aren’t short on qualified applicants for their head coaching vacancy. What they are short on is proof that the organization can pick a plan, staff it correctly, and stick with it when the season turns. It’s a harsh truth, but true nonetheless.
Klint Kubiak is the most attractive name, but being the “best fit” doesn’t tell the complete story. A head-coaching hire is not a vibe check, just picking some name because it’s trending. It’s a working setup: who is responsible for the quarterback, who runs the weekly routine, who teaches fundamentals early in the week, and who has the authority to correct problems when things go sideways.
That is where Kubiak’s appeal is real.
Kubiak’s background points to a modern offensive menu: play-action that looks like the run, reads that are clearly defined, and a passing game built on timing. Put simply, it is an approach that tries to make the quarterback’s job easier. For Raiders fans, that matters because the offense has too often looked like a weekly reset. You could argue that the team hasn’t had an offensive identity since Jon Gruden left the organization amid scandal. None of the coaches have successfully implemented a working plan.
But the head-coach jump is the part people gloss over. Calling plays is one job. Running the whole team is another. A head coach has to manage the game, handle the staff, handle the locker room, and keep standards consistent. He also has to build a staff that can teach, not just talk. That is where good ideas either turn into real progress or get swallowed by the NFL grind.
What is the plan at QB if Klint Kubiak is the coach?
If the Raiders draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza at No. 1, the margin for error gets even smaller. The Mendoza pitch is accuracy, poise, and smart decision-making. That kind of quarterback can take off quickly in the right environment, but he will not survive on “potential” alone. He needs protection that holds up against AFC West pressure. He needs a run game that forces defenses to respect it. He needs receivers who can separate on schedule. And he needs a quarterback coach with a clear plan that starts with footwork, progressions, and answers when defenses blitz.
That is when the Mendoza-Kubiak combination can look like more than marketing. Scheme helps. Teaching matters more. Stability matters most.
So the real question is not whether Kubiak can tailor an offense. It is whether he can run the entire operation without the Raiders falling back into the same cycle: changing directions, changing voices, and asking the quarterback to fix what the building refuses to.
*Top Photo: Getty Images