NFL

Ranking the top 5 famous Las Vegas Raiders coaches

ballervisions 2026年1月17日

Those looking for instant gratification when it comes to the Las Vegas Raiders coaching search will not be happy.

The Silver & Black is among nine NFL teams seeking a new head coach this offseason, and so far, the Raiders’ search for Pete Carroll’s replacement has been deliberate. Las Vegas isn’t sitting on it, of course.

From waxing Carroll on “Black Monday” on Jan. 5, the Raiders interviewed five and six additional interviews were requested. Our own Bill Williamson breaks down that 11 with his thoughts on where the coaching investigation stands on Wednesday.

Then on the same day, reports surfaced that Las Vegas was scheduled to interview Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero on Wednesday, bringing the number of candidates to 11.

There are a few checkpoints the Raiders reach before making the chief recruiting officer, however.

Namely, there’s the Rooney rule – teams must negotiate (alas personally) at least two foreign and/or female candidates for the head coaching gig. The playoffs enter the Divisional round this weekend with the top seeds of the AFC and NFC — the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, respectively — jumping into contention after a narrow first-round bye. And we can expect more interview requests to come after this round.

Therefore, Raiders general manager John Spytek and small owner Tom Brady – two men appointed to lead the search by owner Mark Davis – want to hire a new coach and guide the franchise in the right place there is enough time.

All that noted, let’s get to my top five most recognized Silver & Black trainers:

1. Jesse Minter

Defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers: The Michigan Men theme is often brought up when it comes to Minter since Spytek and Brady are Wolverines, too. But Minter’s ability to design and execute a defense is something to behold. His hidden coverages and late transitions confuse opponents often making it look like Minter’s defense is steps ahead of the opposing offense.

He also emphasizes fundamentals and his coaching style emphasizes simplicity and flexibility. Minter faces an uphill battle to get the Raiders to the top 10 rankings he had this past season with the Chargers — ranked ninth in points allowed (340), fifth in rushing yards (4,849), and seventh in takeaways (23) — but his relative youth and strength make him ready for the task. At the age of 42, Minter slowly rose through the coaching ranks gaining the respect and trust of the Harbaugh Brothers (current Bolts manager Jim and former Ravens coach John).

Oh, and, he brings two years of experience and knowledge from within the AFC West. And that cannot be discounted.

2. Clint Kubiak

Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator: Since he likes to use the heavy stuff – 12 personnel – Kubiak is the type who can increase the power of both Raiders tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer when he wears the Silver & Black. Bright and annoyingly young at 38 years old, Klint took what he learned from his father Gary and the Shanahans (Mike and Kyle) and put it on display in Seattle.

The younger Kubiak orchestrates the third-ranked scoring offense (483 total points), eighth-ranked yards receiving (5,973), and 10th-ranked rushing offense (2,096 yards). All of this could go well for youngsters like Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty if Kubiak becomes the head honcho in Las Vegas.

Kubiak runs a zone-based offense that makes good use of play action in the aerial attack. And he shows the ability to put his players in the best possible position to succeed. But there are warts in his career, especially when the roster and depth of the team are hampered by injuries. But with the right personnel, Kubiak’s program is something to watch.

3. Davis Webb

Denver Broncos quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator: If the Raiders intend to combine a head coach with a quarterback as the No. 1 overall pick, Webb could be a solid choice according to the coach. A 30-year QB coach and pass game coordinator for Sean Payton, Webb is lauded for his ability to be a coordinator and mentor to signal callers in Denver.

Webb has a direct hand in the development of Bo Nix and being a former college and professional quarterback himself, a coach can easily relate and build a relationship with the most important position in football. Having experience on the field could help the rookie quarterback moving forward as Webb goes through the trials and tribulations of the area.

Although he has worked with other offensive concepts as a player and coach, Webb’s playing experience is very simple as he only did it in the preseason.

4. Chris Shula

Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator: Like Kubiak, Schula has a strong NFL pedigree (grandson of legend Don Shula) and has learned from the best defensive minds in the game. He’s taken all he’s learned to build a strong LA defense that ranks 10th in points allowed (346) while producing the fifth-best offense (26).

Shula has been with Rams coach Sean McVay since 2017 and has improved quite a bit. He is credited with being approachable and a sound communicator while employing flexible schemes that cause confusion for the opposing offense with an array of pressure and blitz packages.

There is a lot of work to be done with the Raiders system and Shula’s career has shown inconsistencies when the roster is not at the top due to injuries or a lack of depth.

5. Kevin Stefanski

Former Cleveland Browns head coach: The only returnee on this list but a year older than Minter, Stefanski guided the Browns to two playoff appearances during his time at the helm. Which makes him used to organizational inefficiency.

Stefanski is praised for his football IQ and quarterback development. And he had to adjust to quarterback changes during his time as head coach in Cleveland.

That means his play calling can be inconsistent and his offense just as flawed, leading to him being overly cautious. Stefanski is a cool customer and his calm demeanor seems to lack the often fiery personality needed to get the most out of his players.