The Las Vegas Raiders have not received much from their coaching staff during the 2025 NFL season. The team's lack of improvement led to the firing of offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and special teams coordinator Tom McMahon. Many expect Pete Carroll could be next.
Las Vegas' revamped and diverse coaching staff under Carroll was expected to be a major positive heading into the year. However, that has failed to transpire, as the group has been a huge letdown, filling Raider Nation with false promises.
While the coaching staff has struggled as a whole, there have been a few positives. Two Raiders position coaches recently got recognition with the expectation that they could generate league-wide interest in the offseason.
Two Raiders coaches expected to generate interest around the league
Tight ends coach Luke Steckel has been on radars around the league ever since Brock Bowers' star rookie campaign, and defensive line coach and run game coordinator Rob Leonard is also expected to generate interest for a coordinator job this offseason, thanks to his body of work.
Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr wrote the following about Steckel:
"Steckel is the son of Les Steckel, the former Vikings head coach and longtime NFL and college coach. The 40-year-old Steckel has been the Raiders’ tight ends coach since 2024," Orr noted. "Steckel oversaw the astronomical debut season of star tight end Brock Bowers and has been a rising offensive assistant in the NFL since 2013."
Orr then had this to say about Leonard:
"Leonard interviewed for the Raiders’ defensive coordinator job this past offseason and is one of the most popular coaches on the defensive staff, especially with the team’s best defensive player, Maxx Crosby," Orr wrote. "Leonard helped build Brian Flores’s defensive book as an assistant in Miami."
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It is unclear if the Raiders would have interest in promoting either coach. With Kelly gone and Patrick Graham's future in Las Vegas uncertain, the Silver and Black could have up to three coordinator openings this offseason.
Both have been bright spots for a coaching staff that has struggled and undergone multiple changes. While the Raiders may go through yet another regime change in the offseason, they would be wise to retain both Steckel and Leonard on the staff, the former of which joined in 2024, the latter in 2023.
The coaches have both survived coaching changes in Las Vegas before, with Leonard originally joining as part of Josh McDaniels' staff, and Steckel being hired under Antonio Pierce. Obviously, it would come down to who exactly is coming in and taking over.
Although Las Vegas may not have an interest in promoting either to a coordinator, whoever is leading the staff in 2026 should do whatever they can to bring both coaches back, provided these two do not have an opportunity to climb the coaching ranks elsewhere.