The Las Vegas Raiders are in the fourth week of a coaching search that has seen 15 candidates interviewed. They have seemingly narrowed things down to Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.
That should not come as a surprise, as Kubiak, who is viewed as the favorite for the job, will be coaching in Super Bowl LX next weekend. The Raiders will, however, hold a second meeting with the highly-touted coordinator on Saturday, which could provide some clarity into the ongoing search.
Seattle has reportedly been making a strong push for Kubiak to sit out this year's hiring cycle. Additionally, he has another meeting scheduled with the Arizona Cardinals, the only other team that has yet to name its head coach for the 2026 season.
There is also the lingering question as to whether or not Kubiak would join Las Vegas. His father, Gary Kubiak, has a long history with Mike Shanahan, who had a troubled relationship with the late Al Davis. However, the Raiders may actually have an inside track at landing Klint Kubiak.
Gary Kubiak's comments could open door for Klint Kubiak-Raiders pairing
The elder Kubiak spent a combined 18 years playing and coaching under Shanahan, who had a bitter rivalry with Davis until the legendary owner passed away in 2011. While it has been more than a decade, there hasn't been a single member of the Shanahan tree to serve as the head coach of the Raiders since he was unceremoniously fired in 1989.
Of course, the younger Kubiak never coached under Shanahan; however, many have wondered if the deep ties between the two families could prevent him from accepting the lead job in Las Vegas. His father's comments on Raiders general manager John Spytek from last offseason indicate that the relationship between the two could open the door for the franchise to land the Seahawks offensive coordinator.
In an interview with The Athletic's Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed, he detailed leaning on Spytek when he was named head coach of the Broncos in 2015.
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"What I remember about Spy is he was one of the people that (was) giving me a grasp on the team, what I had, what they thought our strengths were, what we had to do to continue to move forward and have a chance to win a championship," Gary Kubiak said. "He helped get me comfortable with the team so that I could get in there and work with my coaches and start to break down our needs and get ready for the draft. He was a big, big asset to me. It takes certain people to be leaders of others, and Spy, that’s what he’s got in him. He’s a very upbeat, positive, good person that’s very good at motivating others around him. They didn’t want to let him down."
While Shanahan may continue to hold a grudge against the Raiders, the elder Kubiak clearly has a relationship with Spytek outside of those issues. More importantly, the way that he describes Las Vegas' general manager seems like the exact type of executive that anyone would want to work alongside.
One has to figure that the younger Kubiak will consult with his father, who spent a decade as an NFL head coach and won a Super Bowl, regarding his three options: joining the Raiders, Cardinals, or staying in Seattle. That relationship with Spytek could wind up playing a pivotal role in bringing the highly-coveted head coach to Las Vegas.