Klint Kubiak seems to recognize that he can't turn the Las Vegas Raiders around alone. The club's first-year head coach understands that it's going to take a village, and everyone must do their part, including first-year defensive coordinator Rob Leonard.
Fittingly for a coach in Las Vegas, Kubiak is rolling the dice instead of hitching his wagon to an established commodity. Most people in his shoes bring in top assistants with extensive track records to help show them the ropes.
However, the Raiders' new frontman chose to zig when others zag by promoting Leonard, who also has no prior experience in his current role. It's quite a leap of faith from Kubiak, though he made his trust in Leonard crystal clear during a recent press conference.
"We're teaming up on these installs, but [Leonard's] running the show," Kubiak told reporters. "He's done a great job. He's got a lot of talented assistants with [defensive pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach] Joe Woods. And there's some veteran coaches on there that are doing a great job."
Klint Kubiak has no qualms about Rob Leonard leading Raiders' defense
While Kubiak and Leonard are "working together," there's a clear sense of belief. By the sound of it, the former has no problem relying on the latter to run his entire unit without much, if any, micromanaging, as they usher in a new era of Raiders football.
Whether Kubiak's confidence pays off remains to be seen, yet he's going to do everything in his power to make sure it does. The 39-year-old said that Leonard will get a chance "to call periods" in organized team activities (OTAs) in preparation for the upcoming campaign.
Getting Leonard comfortable and up to speed will make life much easier for the Raiders. There's a fair amount of pressure on him to control his side of the ball from the jump. Doing so allows Kubiak to focus on what he does best: Orchestrating a creative, high-powered offense.
Las Vegas is in the early stages of a rebuild; they need all hands on deck right now, so Kubiak's collaborative approach is encouraging. He knows the squad has to be greater than the sum of its parts, especially as 2026 No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza settles in.
Others must pull their weight, namely Leonard.
Kubiak alluded to overseeing the Raiders' offensive unit being his main priority while also juggling "being with the whole team." That's why having a strong staff is imperative, and he feels Leonard and special teams coordinator Joe DeCamilis are "two phenomenal coaches."
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