Klint Kubiak Emerges As Raiders’ HC Favorite

One of two HC openings remaining on a frenzied 2026 carousel, the Raiders have a pivotal meeting with Klint Kubiak slated for Saturday. The Raiders can meet a second time with the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator this week, but they cannot officially hire him until after Super Bowl LX.

This scenario has played out with some candidates in the recent past. The Saints waited until after Super Bowl LIX to hire Kellen Moore, though the sides had an agreement in place before the game, while the Colts and Cardinals did the same after Super Bowl LVII in hiring Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon. The 49ers proceeded this way with Kyle Shanahan, while the Colts had planned to before Josh McDaniels backed out of an agreement. The Raiders have company for Kubiak, though.

The Cardinals’ post-Gannon HC search also includes a Saturday second interview with Kubiak. It is possible the Seattle play-caller opts to stay with Sam Darnold — on a team favored to win Super Bowl LX — for a second season rather than accept one of the jobs other candidates have passed on. Klay Kubiak, Klint’s younger brother, was one of those who withdrew from the Las Vegas search. That could matter, as Klint Kubiak may be the favorite for the job.

The Raiders are believed to have Klint Kubiak as their HC favorite, according to the California Post’s Vincent Bonsignore. Davis Webb was viewed as the other frontrunner, but he has since backed out of the race. That sets the stage for Kubiak, who may have a Raiders-or-Cardinals decision to make.

Kubiak, 38, has yet to stay in an OC role longer than one season. His 2021 and ’24 gigs (in Minnesota and New Orleans, respectively) ended after those teams fired their HCs. The Saints’ Moore hire led Kubiak to Seattle, and he reunited with Darnold — the 49ers’ backup during Kubiak’s 2023 San Francisco stop. Darnold played well in the NFC championship game, guiding the Seahawks to a shootout win despite recently suffering an oblique injury. The Seahawks are now favored to win their second Super Bowl, giving Kubiak considerable momentum.

While Webb was viewed as the top Kubiak challenger, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes Panthers DC Ejiro Evero is not out of the running just yet. It would appear Evero is an underdog, but he did receive two interviews. This sets up an interesting duel between coworkers on the 2022 Broncos’ staff. Kubiak was Webb’s predecessor as Denver’s QBs coach, with Evero as Broncos DC that year. The Nathaniel HackettRussell Wilson partnership combusted quickly in a 5-12 season, but both Kubiak and Evero landed on their feet.

Evero has been the Panthers’ DC for the past three seasons. He signed an extension before the 2025 campaign began. The Falcons and Steelers sent Evero interview slips this year, but the Raiders are the only team to interview him twice. Evero presented a detailed offensive plan during his second Vegas meeting, per Fowler.

The Raiders will naturally be interested in pairing Kubiak with likely No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza; this reality came up recently, with Kubiak and Webb emerging as frontrunners after defense-minded leaders Antonio Pierce and Pete Carroll busted. But the Raiders showed strong interest in Jesse Minter during his second interview, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. The Raiders did not extend Minter an offer yet, but Breer notes the team was warming to him as HC. But Minter met with the Ravens again soon after and agreed to return to Baltimore.

The loser of this apparent Kubiak derby would likely be forced further down their respective lists. Both teams had Joe Brady in the building before the Bills promoted him, and Anthony Campanile bowed out of the Cardinals’ search. Arizona is believed to have Rams OC Mike LaFleur as a finalist as well. He could be hired at any point, with the Seahawks eliminating the Rams last week.

Via PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, here is how the Raiders’ expansive search — which has featured a few names exit early — looks as of Thursday night:

Steelers To Hire Patrick Graham As DC, Add Jason Simmons To Staff

As expected, Patrick Graham is heading to Pittsburgh. The veteran staffer is indeed being hired by the Steelers as their new defensive coordinator and departing the Raiders in the process, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports.

Not long after it was learned Graham would interview for the position this week, signs pointed to a hire in this case. Graham was previously hired by Mike McCarthy as a linebackers coach for the Packers in 2018. McCarthy was brought in as Pittsburgh’s new head coach recently, and the two are reuniting for 2026.

Another ex-Packers staffer is joining the fold. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Thursday morning that Commanders defensive pass-game coordinator Jason Simmons would be joining Pittsburgh. According to Wilson, a deal has now been struck with Simmons (who also interviewed for the Steelers’ DC gig).

A “prominent” role on the defensive staff now awaits Simmons, Fowler adds. The 49-year-old worked in Green Bay from 2011-19, giving him considerable overlap with McCarthy. Plenty of other key staffing decisions remain at this point, but the Super Bowl-winning HC has largely begun by adding familiar faces.

For each of the past seven seasons, Graham has worked as an NFL defensive coordinator. He spent one year with the Dolphins and Giants before reuniting with former Patriots colleague Josh McDaniels in Vegas. Through the Raiders’ turbulence at the head coaching position since then, Graham remained in place as defensive play-caller for four seasons. It remains to be seen who the Raiders will hire as their new head coach, but Pete Carroll‘s replacement will need to add a D-coordinator shortly after arriving.

Graham helped lead Vegas to a ninth-place finish in scoring defense in 2023. The team posted middling (at best) numbers in many other categories during the rest of his tenure, with points allowed one of many issues for Vegas in 2025. The Steelers posted strong numbers during much of Teryl Austin‘s four-year defensive coordinator tenure. His final campaign in that role saw a regression in total and scoring defense, though.

Austin has been a strong candidate to depart Pittsburgh since Mike Tomlin stepped aside. Today’s news confirms Austin will be coaching elsewhere in 2026. The Steelers once again committed more financial resources to their defense than their offense this season; that can be expected to continue moving forward. Expectations will be high in Graham’s case given his experience and Pittsburgh’s roster construction.

The 47-year-old has found himself on the head coaching radar for several years. Graham has also been linked to a number of other defensive coordinator openings during recent hiring cycles. A change of scenery has long loomed as a distinct possibility in his case as a result, and one has now taken place. As the Steelers look to aim their drought for postseason victories, Graham and Simmons will each be counted on to handle key roles as members of McCarthy’s initial Pittsburgh staff.

Davis Webb Withdraws From Raiders’ HC Search

Davis Webb entered Thursday a finalist for the Raiders’ HC position, but he is no longer interested in the job. The Broncos’ quarterbacks coach is withdrawing his name from consideration, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Webb is up for a few OC posts — including the Broncos’ now-vacant gig — but he will wait at least a year for more HC consideration. This is certainly an interesting move given Webb’s lack of experience. He has yet to call plays, but the recently retired quarterback may have that opportunity soon.

The Giants and Ravens have requested interviews with Webb, as the Eagles did. Philadelphia has since hired another recently retired backup, Sean Mannion, as their offensive play-caller. Webb met with the Ravens about their HC position but has not spoken with the Giants just yet. A meeting with one of his former teams appears on tap, but after the Broncos fired Joe Lombardi, an OC opening exists on Webb’s current team. Will the Broncos be able to keep him without play-calling responsibilities?

This sets the stage for Klint Kubiak, who appears a certainty to receive an offer from the Raiders. Kubiak is believed to be the Vegas favorite, but the Cardinals are set for a second interview with the Seattle OC as well. Both meetings are coming Saturday. This could put Kubiak to a Vegas/Arizona/Seattle choice, as he could decide to pass on this year’s cycle for potentially better 2027 openings.

Coaching Bo Nix for the past two seasons and helping to elevate Russell Wilson (following a disastrous Denver debut) in 2023, Webb earned the title of pass-game coordinator entering the 2025 season. Nix piloted the Broncos to the No. 1 seed and the AFC championship game. Webb could be preparing to face Kubiak’s Seahawks had Nix stayed healthy, but the Broncos were unable to pull off a conference championship upset with Jarrett Stidham at the helm. Still, Webb appears set for a move to an OC role — be it in Denver or somewhere else.

It would be interesting for the Broncos to fire Lombardi without a decent idea if Webb would accept the OC role. Some among the Broncos are concerned the Broncos will not be able to keep Webb long term without dangling a play-calling role (Sean Payton calls the plays in Denver and was at the controls for 15 seasons in New Orleans). The Raiders, Ravens and Bills interviewing Webb for their HC openings this year, though, would make him a strong 2027 candidate. Where Webb lands as an OC is one of the top storylines left in this year’s cycle, as the Giants or Ravens could offer a play-calling role.

49ers Interview Gus Bradley, Raheem Morris, Joe Woods For DC Job

Robert Saleh‘s second exit as 49ers defensive coordinator will lead to the team’s fourth DC search in four years. The NFC West club has begun its interview process.

Gus Bradley, Raheem Morris and Joe Woods are the first interviewees, according to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco. Bradley spent last season on the 49ers’ staff, and Kyle Shanahan called him an obvious candidate. Woods was on the Raiders’ staff in 2025, while Morris — fired as Falcons HC after two seasons — has come up in connection with multiple DC posts.

Morris remains a candidate to become the next Cardinals HC. Arizona lost one of its frontrunners — Anthony Campanile — this week, when the Jaguars’ DC opted to stay with his current team. But Mike LaFleur and Klint Kubiak also booked second HC interviews with the Cards. This does not necessarily mean Morris is out of the running, but like Saleh last year, the veteran staffer is in the mix for jobs on multiple tiers of the coaching spectrum.

Saleh was believed to be the Jags’ second choice behind Liam Coen, but he resided as the 49ers’ DC-in-waiting in the event that fell through. The 49ers had Saleh positioned as one of the NFL’s highest-paid coordinators, but he bolted after one season back in town to become the Titans’ head coach. Bradley, Morris and Woods are all veteran defensive play-callers. Each has been either a two-time HC (in Morris’ case) or had at least three runs as a DC.

A recent rumor indicated Morris may move to TV if he did not land another HC job, but it seems the former Buccaneers and Falcons sideline boss is indeed surveying options if he does not land the Arizona job. The Falcons fired Morris after two 8-9 seasons, overhauling their football operation around Matt Ryan. Morris was a successful DC en route to that Atlanta job, serving as the Rams’ defensive play-caller for three seasons and collecting a Super Bowl LVI ring during that time. This creates considerable familiarity for Shanahan, though Bradley may still be the candidate to beat.

The Seahawks, Chargers, Raiders and Colts have employed Bradley as DC since 2012. Although Bradley’s Jaguars HC tenure featured a historically low win percentage (.226 — fourth-worst all time), teams have continued to pursue him as a defensive play-caller. Shanahan calling Bradley the “obvious” choice — as the team may not cast a wide net here — bodes well for the current 49ers assistant HC. But Morris and Woods bring comparable experience, representing interesting external challengers.

Earning a Super Bowl ring as a Broncos DBs coach, Woods succeeded Wade Phillips as Denver’s DC in 2017. Woods later moved to the DC role in Cleveland and New Orleans, serving as Browns DC for three seasons and Saints DC for two. Woods served under defense-minded HCs in Denver and New Orleans, however, making his Cleveland stop the only time he was a team’s top defensive voice. The Browns did not rank lower than 21st on defense under Woods, rising to 13th in 2021, but the team fired him after an inconsistent 2022 season. Woods spent last season as the Raiders’ DBs coach/pass-game coordinator.

All three of these coaches have worked Shanahan. The current 49ers HC was in place as Falcons OC from 2015-16. The rare modern coach to serve as an assistant on both sides of the ball, Morris was a Falcons defensive assistant in 2015 and wideouts coach during Atlanta’s NFC championship 2016 slate. Woods served as the 49ers’ pass-game coordinator under Saleh in 2019, using the team’s Super Bowl LIV season as a springboard back to the DC level.

Cardinals Expected To Conduct Second HC Interview With Klint Kubiak

The NFL is down to two head coaching vacancies. Both may remain unfilled until Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has the chance to conduct a follow-up interview in each case.

Kubiak is scheduled to meet with the Raiders for a second time on Saturday. The same will likely be true of the Cardinals. Arizona is expected to arrange an in-person Kubiak meeting, ESPN’s Peter Schrager reports. According to colleague Jeremy Fowler, both interviews are expected to take place on Saturday. Dianna Russini of The Athletic adds candidates for each position have been informed at least one more interview with another target will be taking place, a likely reference to Kubiak.

Per Fowler, Kubiak is currently believed by some to be the leading candidate regarding the searches in Arizona and Las Vegas. The Raiders have seen a pair of candidates withdraw from their search as it has unfolded. The team spoke with the likes of Joe Brady, Jeff Hafley, Jesse Minter and Brian Daboll, but they have each taken jobs elsewhere around the NFL.

That leaves Kubiak as a name to watch closely. Since he already met virtually with both the Cardinals and Raiders, he is free to conduct a follow-up before the Super Bowl. Arizona has been linked to a longer list of finalists than Vegas, with a Ron Rivera interview taking place on Tuesday. A number of experienced staffers such as Rivera and Vance Joseph have been linked to the opening.

In recent days, Mike LaFleur has been named as the frontrunner for the Cardinals’ HC gig. With the Rams’ season having ended, he is free to accept an offer at any time. Arizona will at least speak with Kubiak before making a decision, though. Like the Raiders, the Cardinals are aiming to rebound from a three-win season. Their HC hire will of course be key in shaping the franchise’s direction over the coming years.

Kubiak, 38, has been an NFL staffer all but one year dating back to 2013. A Vikings and Broncos staffer multiple times, he has held important roles in both organizations (including offensive coordinator with Minnesota). Following a one-year stint with the 49ers, Kubiak guided the Saints’ offense in 2024. Sweeping changes in New Orleans led him to Seattle last year, and things have certainly gone well this season. Sam Darnold‘s first Seahawks campaign has been highly successful to say the least, something which has helped Kubiak’s stock continue to rise.

The Seahawks’ Super Bowl preparation will continue today and tomorrow. In Kubiak’s case, though, that process will be paused on Saturday. No official hire will be possible until after the championship game, of course, but an agreement with either the Cardinals or Raiders could be worked out shortly.

Steelers Nearing Patrick Graham DC Hire

4:29pm: An official interview has not yet taken place. It is believed to be scheduled for Thursday, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reports. Graham landing this job would mean a fourth DC opportunity.

1:51pm: Patrick Graham served as the Raiders’ defensive coordinator under three HCs, being retained by both Antonio Pierce and Pete Carroll. With a to-be-determined Raiders HC arriving, Graham is close to landing on his feet elsewhere.

The Steelers are close to hiring him as their next DC, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reports. Graham scheduled an interview for the position. Graham, 47, spent a year on Mike McCarthy‘s Packers staff, serving as an assistant during the new Steelers HC’s final year in Green Bay (2018). He has been a defensive coordinator ever since.

A longtime Patriots staffer, Graham reunited with Josh McDaniels as the Raiders’ DC in 2022. This came after he had served in that capacity with the Dolphins (2019) and Giants (2020-21). Two ex-Patriot HCs (Brian Flores, Joe Judge) appointed Graham to those posts, and while a third hired him when the McDaniels reunion commenced, Graham impressed enough to stick around in Las Vegas under Pierce and Carroll. He appears close to reuniting with McCarthy.

The Raiders have struggled on defense for the better part of a two-plus-decade span. They have only ranked in the top half of the league in scoring once since their Super Bowl XXXVII season. That came under Graham in 2023, when the team ranked ninth. The Raiders were unable to sustain that form over the past two seasons, ranking 25th in each campaign. The team did lose prized free agent signing Christian Wilkins early in 2024, before a contentious 2025 separation, and lost a few starters (Robert Spillane, Tre’von Moehrig, Nate Hobbs) in free agency this past offseason.

Pittsburgh had employed Teryl Austin as its DC for the past four seasons. Mike Tomlin only had three DCs in 19 seasons; Keith Butler‘s stint covered 2015-21, and Dick LeBeau‘s second Steelers stop lasted from 2004-14). Graham has also been a regular on the HC carousel. He met about the Dolphins’ HC position this year and interviewed for the Commanders’ DC job. The Jaguars met twice with Graham about their HC post last year, while the Chargers and Seahawks interviewed him in 2024.

While more staff turnover will be expected, McCarthy plans to retain a few Tomlin assistants. Quarterbacks coach Tom Arth, DBs coach Gerald Alexander and linebackers coach Scott McCurley are coming back, Dulac adds. The team was also planning to retain veteran special teams coordinator Danny Smith, according to the Pat McAfee Show‘s Mark Kaboly, but that was before the McCarthy hire became known. Smith is now the Buccaneers’ ST coordinator.

McCurley will reunite with his longtime boss, as McCarthy oversaw the veteran defensive staffer throughout his Green Bay years before bringing him to Dallas as linebackers coach in 2020. McCarthy’s first Packers season (2006) doubled as McCurley’s NFL debut. Arth has coached the Steelers’ QBs for three seasons, while Alexander has been on the team’s staff for two stops.

After coaching on Tomlin’s staff from 2022-23, he was the Raiders’ safeties coach in ’24. Tomlin rehired him in 2025. Graham coming to Pittsburgh would make for a reunion with Alexander, who has been on the DC carousel previously.

Pittsburgh is also hiring Adam Henry as its new wide receivers coach, NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe adds. Henry spent the past three years as the Bills’ wideouts coach. He has a connection to McCarthy, having been the Cowboys’ WRs coach from 2020-21 before leaving to be Indiana’s OC for a year. Henry has also coached wideouts with the 49ers, Browns and Giants since 2015.

While the Bills struggled at the position post-Stefon Diggs, Khalil Shakir made the transition from fifth-rounder to the team’s most reliable target during Henry’s time. The 2021 Cowboys also featured three 800-yard receivers (CeeDee Lamb, Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup) in 2021.

Titans Hire Brian Daboll As OC

11:28pm: The Titans announced Daboll’s hiring. It seems he’s no longer a contender to become the Raiders‘ head coach. Daboll agreed to a three-year contract, according to veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky. The Raiders still have another HC interview left, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. It is not known which candidate will meet with the Silver and Black this week.

11:18am: The Titans are set to hire Brian Daboll as their next offensive coordinator, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. However, Daboll remains a candidate for the Raiders’ head coaching job. He conducted a second interview with Las Vegas on Tuesday, per Schefter. Daboll will join the Titans if the Raiders don’t hire him.

Daboll had been in the running to fill the Bills’ head coaching vacancy, which he reportedly preferred, but that’s now off the table after they promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady on Tuesday. The Raiders are now the only team the Titans will have to fend off for Daboll’s services.

Daboll has given Titans HC Robert Saleh his word that he’ll go to Tennessee if he doesn’t land a head coaching gig, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. In the event the Raiders hire Daboll, the Titans would have to pivot to a different play-calling choice. Along with Daboll, former Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, Packers OC Adam Stenavich and ex-Buccaneers QBs coach Thad Lewis have all interviewed with the Titans.

For now, Saleh appears poised to reel in an accomplished offensive coordinator to join his first Titans staff. It also pairs up a couple of of former New York head coaches. Saleh coached the Jets from 2021-24, while Daboll led the Giants from 2022-25.

If he heads to Tennessee, the 50-year-old Daboll will receive his fifth try as an NFL O-coordinator. He previously held the position with the Browns (2009-10), Dolphins (2011), Chiefs (2012) and Bills (2018-21). The Giants hired Daboll after an excellent run in Buffalo, where he helped quarterback Josh Allen go from raw prospect to superstar.

Daboll didn’t have nearly as much success in New York with Daniel Jones, another former first-round QB. Despite early flashes, Jones didn’t develop into the answer under center for the Giants, which played a key role in Daboll’s struggles. Daboll worked with yet another first-round signal-caller, Jaxson Dart, in 2025. While Dart performed well as a rookie, Daboll wasn’t around for the entire season. The Giants fired him after a 2-8 start.

Catching on with the Titans would give Daboll another chance to work with a prized young passer in Cam Ward. The Titans chose Ward first overall in last year’s draft, but he wasn’t in an ideal spot to succeed in 2025. The Miami product took a league-worst 55 sacks, tying him with the Raiders’ Geno Smith, lacked weapons in the passing game and didn’t enjoy stability on the sidelines during a 3-14 campaign.

The Titans fired head coach Brian Callahan in October, leaving Mike McCoy to take over for the rest of the season. QBs coach Bo Hardegree called plays, but Daboll is now primed to play a major role in developing Ward going forward.

Steelers To Interview Jake Simmons, Patrick Graham For DC Job

The Steelers have officially hired Mike McCarthy as their next head coach. Now, he will have to build his new coaching staff, starting with his coordinators.

Commanders pass game coordinator Jason Simmons and Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham are Pittsburgh’s first two candidates for their DC job, per Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show.

Simmons, 49, has multiple connections with the Steelers. The 1998 fifth-round pick spent the first three years of his playing career in Pittsburgh. After he retired, his first coaching job was under McCarthy in Green Bay. Simmons worked for the Packers for nine years, primarily coaching the secondary with a two-year stint as an assistant special teams coach. He then took on defensive pass game coordinator roles with the Panthers and Raiders before joining Dan Quinn’s staff in Washington.

Graham, 47, has been the Raiders’ defensive coordinator since 2022. He started his coaching career in college before landing his first NFL job with the Patriots. After seven years in New England, he spent two years as the Giants’ defensive line coach before joining the Packers in 2018, McCarthy’s last year in Green Bay. Since then, Graham has held defensive coordinator jobs with the Dolphins and Giants. He was then hired by former colleague and then-Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels

Hiring Simmons would continue the Steelers’ pattern of investing in players and coaches that have a history with Pittsburgh – the franchise or the city. Outgoing defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, for example, grew up 60 miles outside of Pittsburgh and played college football at Pitt. McCarthy grew up in the city, which appeared to be a factor in his hiring, and current starting cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is the son of legendary Steelers linebacker Joey Porter. That is not to say Simmons is not a worthy candidate; he quickly reformed the Commanders pass defense after arriving in Washington, though the unit regressed significantly this past season.

Graham brings no direct connections to the Steelers outside of his one year under McCarthy in Green Bay. In the last three years, the Raiders’ defense has been their stronger side of the ball by far with three middle-of-the-pack finishes in yards allowed. The offense, by contrast, has been a bottom-10 unit.

Raiders’ HC Search Moving Forward With Second Interviews

The Raiders are one of four teams remaining with a head coaching vacancy as the six other vacancies have filled with new head coaches in the last few weeks. Because many of the candidates they are interested in have had limited availability to interview as they have been participating on playoff staffs, the elimination of two more teams today is expected to help move the Raiders’ search on to the next stages.

For starters, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported today that Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady is currently in Las Vegas for a second interview with the team. This is only the third candidate to receive a second interview with the Raiders. The team hosted Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and former Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter for second interviews this past week, but Minter quickly came off the board after accepting an offer to coach his former team in Baltimore. Vegas was also expecting to host former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski before he accepted the job in Atlanta.

Brady has been connected to three of the four remaining open jobs, including the one with his current team, which moved on from former head coach Sean McDermott. Brady saw a meteoric rise following a single year as the passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach at LSU the year the Tigers won a championship on the arm of Joe Burrow and the hands of Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. That run led to an offensive coordinator opportunity in Carolina, but Brady was fired before his second season came to end. He rebounded quickly with a job in Buffalo as quarterbacks coach, taking over the offensive coordinator job upon Ken Dorsey‘s mid-2023 dismissal and holding the position ever since. This will be Brady’s first in-person interview of the coaching cycle. The Cardinals haven’t met with him virtually yet, but they’re also expected to meet with him in-person soon.

Las Vegas is also expected to meet with Broncos passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Davis Webb for a second interview this week, according to Schefter. Webb has been mentioned as a candidate for a couple teams, but the Raiders are the only team to actually interview him thus far. They won’t be for long, though, as Schefter adds that the Bills also have interest in meeting with Webb for their head coaching job.

If the Broncos had beaten the Patriots today to head to the Super Bowl, Vegas would’ve held an advantage over Buffalo. Their early interview with Webb would’ve made it permissible for the Raiders to meet with Webb between the AFC Championship game and the Super Bowl, but because they didn’t do an early initial meeting, as well, the Bills would’ve been forced to wait until Denver’s season had come to a close in Santa Clara. Instead, they’ll be able to plan for an interview with Webb as soon as he’s finished his meeting with Las Vegas, and according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Buffalo is expected to do just that. Landing a head coaching job would be extremely impressive, as the 31-year-old hasn’t even served as an offensive coordinator.

In addition to Brady and Webb, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is considered “a prime candidate” following the impression he made in his first interview with the team. Similar to the advantage over Buffalo mentioned with Webb, the Raiders should be able to meet with Kubiak sometime before the Super Bowl, since they interviewed him early in the month. Since Buffalo was not able to conduct those early interviews, they should be forced to wait until Seattle’s season is over. Other head coaching candidates the team has interviewed that this would apply to is Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, and Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula.

Speaking of Shula, Vincent Bonsignore of the California Post claimed that the defensive coordinator in Los Angeles is firmly in the mix for the Raiders’ top position. Bonsignore also hinted that, should Shula be the hire, Rams quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone would be a name to look out for as an offensive coordinator reporting to Shula. Ragone has three years of coordinator experience in Atlanta, where despite not having the best weapons, he was able to put together one of the league’s better rushing offenses.

The Broncos’ loss today opens the door for more interview action in Las Vegas, and should the Rams fall tonight, even more movement could occur. Here’s the latest breakdown on the Raiders’ search for their next head coach:

Klay Kubiak Withdraws From HC Searches

Although he has been a candidate in multiple head coaching searches this month, 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak has removed himself from consideration, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Kubiak will remain in San Francisco in 2026.

The 37-year-old Kubiak drew attention from the Steelers and Raiders in this winter’s hiring cycle. The news of Kubiak’s withdrawal came shortly before the Steelers agreed to hire Mike McCarthy as their head coach. Meanwhile, the Raiders haven’t found Pete Carroll’s replacement yet, but we know it won’t be Kubiak.

There’s still a possibility Klay’s brother, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, will land the Las Vegas job. Both Kubiaks have interviewed for the position. The Bills, Browns and Cardinals are the only other teams with vacancies.

A former Colorado State quarterback, Klay Kubiak has garnered all of his NFL coaching experience with the 49ers. He joined the organization as a defensive quality control coach in 2021. Kubiak spent the next two years as the 49ers’ assistant quarterbacks coach before working as their offensive passing game specialist in 2024.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan promoted Kubiak to offensive coordinator in 2025, a year in which the 49ers overcame a rash of key injuries to finish seventh in yards and 10th in scoring. Backup quarterback Mac Jones started in place of an injured Brock Purdy eight times, tight end George Kittle missed six games, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall sat out eight, and fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk didn’t play at all.

Shanahan continued as the 49ers’ primary play-caller during their injury-ravaged 2025. Nevertheless, Kubiak is important enough to the coaching staff that Shanahan would block other teams from hiring him as an offensive coordinator.

“He’s our offensive coordinator, so I don’t know, why would you let him be somebody else’s offensive coordinator,” Shanahan said last week.

For his part, Kubiak prefers to continue working with Shanahan, according to Russini. Shanahan has been the 49ers’ head coach since 2017, but he has only given the OC title to Kubiak and Mike McDaniel. While McDaniel held the role for just one season before he left to become the Dolphins’ head coach in 2022, Kubiak is now poised for a multiyear stint. With another productive season in 2026, Kubiak may reemerge as a name to watch during next winter’s hiring cycle.

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