The Los Angeles Chargers made one of the best hires of the offseason, bringing in former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as their new offensive coordinator. Until now, it could be argued that this was the best hire of the offseason for any team considering their schematic needs.
Yet the Las Vegas Raiders are now poised to bring in Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their new head coach. Time will tell if this proves to be the right hire, but it has the potential to be absolutely monumental.
The Raiders are zeroing in on Klint Kubiak as their next head coach, sources tell me and @RapSheet.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 1, 2026
Nothing can be finalized until after Super Bowl LX. But all signs are pointing towards Kubiak landing in Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/MHw3M3e7AM
The Raiders have been in search of stability for quite some time, having cycled through two head coaches in the past two seasons with disastrous results.
Kubiak has worked wonders with the Seattle offense this season, and fans now hope he can do the same with the offensive weapons in Las Vegas. Chargers fans better hope he doesn't pull it off.
Klint Kubiak could quickly prove to be the best hire of the offseason
In fairness, it's reasonable to expect many moves the Raiders make to end in disaster. They have had an exceedingly poor track record in recent years with their hires.
But Kubiak has the chance to turn this around. He was their best option this offseason, considering that their organizational instability probably placed them out of the running for more tenured coaches such as John Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski.
They needed a first-time head coach willing to take a chance, and Kubiak was the best option. He elevated the Seahawks offense to unimaginable heights in 2025. They finished eighth in total yards and third in total points, and Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba both had impressive seasons under his scheme.
If he can figure out how to make the best out of a Fernando Mendoza-led, RPO-heavy offense, Las Vegas could be poised for a quick turnaround.
In 2025, the Raiders finished dead last in the NFL in total offense under the leadership of Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith. In terms of their potential for a massive swing in the other direction, Kubiak could quickly become the most impactful coaching hire this cycle.
Even if this happens, it does not necessarily make them contenders. But in a division already stacked with the Kansas City Chiefs and the ascendant Denver Broncos, any more competition could prove to be dangerous for Los Angeles.
It's painful to admit, but the Raiders may have just one-upped the Chargers with their coaching hire.