The Las Vegas Raiders have been very patient in their head coaching search, as they have yet to make a hire despite interviewing 15 candidates. They have also not tipped their hand, as 10 of those candidates have come on the offensive side of the ball, while the other five are defensive-minded.
It does, however, appear that Las Vegas is leaning towards hiring an offensive coach who can develop projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. While the search is now in its fourth week, the Raiders are still one of four teams that have not made a decision.
Very little, if any, information has leaked regarding who the franchise's preferred candidate is. It is clear after Conference Championship weekend, however, that Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak should be the man for the job.
The Raiders should have a clear HC favorite in Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak
Of the 15 coaches that the Raiders interviewed, six were working in the Conference Championship games. While several of those coaches had good performances, only one will be coaching in the Super Bowl, and he should be the clear favorite to land the job in Las Vegas.
Klint Kubiak's performance against an elite Los Angeles Rams defense ultimately made the difference in his team's 31-27 victory. While he cannot accept the job until after the Super Bowl, the Raiders can meet with Kubiak up until February 2, and hire him officially after the big game.
That should be more than enough time for Las Vegas to determine if he is the right man for the job, which he should be. After finishing 18th in scoring offense and 14th in total yards last season, Seattle has been elite offensively under Kubiak's watch.
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They finished third in scoring offense and eighth in total yards during the regular season, where they finished 14-3. In two postseason games against the San Francisco 49ers and Rams, both of whom were great defensively, the Seahawks have averaged 36.0 points and 338.5 yards per game.
Seattle is now favored to win its second Super Bowl in franchise history, and Kubiak's offense is a big reason for that. The offensive coordinator should also be the favorite to land the Raiders' lead job, as he has proven that he could be the best candidate to develop Fernando Mendoza.
The 2025 Heisman Trophy winner is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, and Las Vegas' front office should be heavily focused on his development. Kubiak has proven to get the most out of quarterbacks and would be the right choice to help Mendoza smoothly transition to the NFL.