Raiders’ new coach hire could be most-promising move in decades for franchise
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Klint Kubiak hired to restore hope and credibility after years of instability.
- Owners and GM backed Kubiak, viewed as the right leader for the next five seasons.
- Raiders may accelerate revival through free agency and the 2026 draft.
Hiring Klint Kubiak as the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders on Feb. 9 could end up being the best thing the franchise has done since bringing in Jon Gruden in 1998.
Late owner Al Davis hired Gruden at just 34 years old after the Raiders finished 7-9 and 4-12 under Mike White and Joe Bugel, respectively. Davis sought a young, energetic leader to revive the franchise — and Gruden delivered.
The Raiders quickly became respectable again. They posted back-to-back 8-8 seasons in 1998 and 1999 before breaking through in 2000 with a 12-4 record and an AFC West title. Gruden compiled a 38-26 record, won two AFC West crowns, and made two playoff appearances before being traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The franchise hasn’t been the same since that blockbuster deal. While the Raiders did make a Super Bowl appearance and two playoff trips afterward, they largely became one of the NFL’s most unstable organizations.
Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy offered praise on what Kubiak can do.
“I love Klint Kubiak,” Dungy said in a scrum to reporters. “I really like what he does, he is just a fundamentally sound, smart coach, but he is also someone who can relate to the players.”
“It is not like this guy up here, and the players are down here. They feel like he is with them. I was at the Seahawks training camp this year, and I saw the energy that the offense was playing with. And I had a good feeling. I told Coach (Mike) Macdonald you guys are on to something special. Coach Kubiak been a part of that.”
According to ESPN, Kubiak’s offense was second in points per game (28.4).
Hope for the Raiders?
Now, the Raiders hope to reverse that trend with Kubiak, who has shown he can lead and develop winning systems. Las Vegas made the hire shortly after the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium.
Minority owner Tom Brady and general manager John Spytek identified Kubiak as their top choice, and owner Mark Davis signed off on the decision
Kubiak is viewed as the right leader for the next five seasons and potentially beyond. He embraces challenges, and his mission is clear: restore hope and credibility to a proud franchise.
Reverse trend incoming?
Since the Raiders’ 2002 Super Bowl season, the team has endured 18 losing seasons and cycled through 14 head coaches — including Gruden’s return in 2018. That level of instability has frustrated fans and driven away players seeking consistency.
Perhaps Kubiak — who comes from a winning pedigree as the son of Super Bowl champion coach Gary Kubiak — can help turn the tide sooner rather than later, even if 2026 is labeled by some as a rebuilding year.
With smart moves in free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft, the Raiders may not need a long rebuild. Just look at the New England Patriots, who went 4-13 before hiring Mike Vrabel and aggressively reshaping the roster in one offseason.
If the Raiders follow a similar blueprint — potentially around presumptive No. 1 draft pick Fernando Mendoza — they could accelerate their turnaround under Kubiak.
Time will tell, but for the first time in years, there’s real reason for optimism in Las Vegas.
This story was originally published February 28, 2026 at 9:00 AM.
