Jon Gruden, Las Vegas Raiders
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(Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)
The Las Vegas Raiders will be hoping that Year 1 of the Klint Kubiak era as head coach brings a better season than the one year under Pete Carroll. Moreover, the Silver and Black have revamped their team through offseason spending to ensure Kubiak can get off to the right start.
Kubiak comes to Las Vegas after winning Super Bowl LX with the Seattle Seahawks and will look to turn the franchise around. Former Raiders QB Rich Gannon is excited for the Kubiak era to get started and even sees a little of Jon Gruden in the head coach.
“You talk about the qualities and intangibles it takes at that position,”Gannon said in an April 2 video from the New York Post. “I think he has a lot of them. I think, most importantly, he has built a coaching staff thathas some familiarity with him. He brought in Rick Dennison. He brought in some people that he spent time with back in Denver as a young coach and in other places in Seattle.
“This is a coaching staff that’s going to grind, and that, to me, has to happen. This guy is the real deal. I mean, he’s got a little John Gruden in him when you talk about coming early and staying late. I’m excited for Klint Kubiak and this coaching staff.”
Klint Kubiak Is Using Tom Brady as a Resource
Furthermore, despite his success as an offensive coordinator, Kubiak intends to use every resource the Raiders offer him, including minority owner Tom Brady.
“I probably contact him once every two days, text back and forth or call each other,”Kubiak said on the April 1 edition of “Upon Further Review.” “Just very supportive. He obviously wants the Raiders to win and is always trying to touch base with myself or with [general manager John Spytek] on how he can help that process.
“I love picking his brain, hearing where he’s coming from. He’s given me so many pointers on experiences he’s been through. I’m taking notes and I’m asking questions… It’s a great resource not only for me but for the team. For the whole organization.”
Raiders Get Praise Over Kirk Cousins Signing
Kubiak will also have a new QB as the Silver and Black signed Kirk Cousins on April 2 to be their veteran signal-caller for the upcoming 2026 NFL season. Furthermore, if the Raiders do take Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick, they won’t need to throw him into the fire right away.
Furthermore, ESPN’s Mike Greenberg is applauding the Raiders for not potentially throwing a rookie QB like Mendoza to the fire right from the start.
“I love that now they’re not forcing him to be the guy: Not just starting Week 1, but starting like July 15 or whatever day they all show up at training camp,“Greenberg said on the April 2 edition of the “Pat McAfee Show.”“You don’t want to have everything be on his shoulders, no matter how pro‑ready he is. And I think Fernando Mendoza is as pro‑ready as you can be for a rookie quarterback.
“I have always believed that getting a veteran in there to mentor him is an outstanding move. Kirk Cousins is a perfect one. With the combination of Cousins and Tom Brady being in the organization, I don’t know how much better Fernando Mendoza could have it than he has it right now.”