💥 BREAKING: Raiders Roll Out the Legends as Klint Kubiak Begins New Era. DH

The Las Vegas Raiders didn’t just introduce a new head coach Tuesday.

They staged a reminder.

Inside team headquarters in Henderson, six figures representing the franchise’s golden past were seated front and center. Marcus Allen. Rich Gannon. Mike Haynes. Howie Long. Jim Plunkett. Charles Woodson.

Four Hall of Famers.
Five Super Bowl champions.
Three Lombardi Trophies placed directly in front of the podium.

They sat stone-faced, almost as if kickoff was moments away.

And in many ways, it was.

Klint Kubiak, fresh off coordinating the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl LX victory just two days earlier, stepped into the spotlight as the Raiders’ new head coach — the fifth full-time leader since the franchise moved to Las Vegas in 2020.

“This is no ordinary job,” Kubiak said. “This is the silver and black. This is the Raiders. This is a historic franchise.”

For Kubiak, the choice was simple. Stay in Seattle with a championship roster — or take on one of the NFL’s most demanding rebuilds.

“It was a no-brainer,” he added.

The Raiders haven’t won a playoff game since their Super Bowl appearance in the 2002 season. Since then, postseason appearances have been rare and fleeting. The organization has been searching for identity, stability, and a path back to relevance.

Owner Mark Davis made it clear this hire was about direction — particularly on offense.

The Raiders hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and possess more than $91 million in salary-cap space. The assumption around the league is that Las Vegas will select Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who led Indiana to a national championship.

Davis, general manager John Spytek, and minority owner Tom Brady were all present in Miami Gardens when Mendoza capped that historic season.

“In my mind, that’s the direction we wanted to go,” Davis said. “But he had to win the job.”

Hiring an offensive-minded head coach was part of that vision — someone who could grow alongside a potential franchise quarterback.

Kubiak’s resume with Sam Darnold helped seal the deal.

Once labeled a draft bust, Darnold completed 67.7% of his passes for over 4,000 yards this season, guiding Seattle to 14 regular-season wins and ultimately a Super Bowl title. Kubiak’s system maximized efficiency, minimized mistakes, and leaned into structure — exactly the type of foundation a young quarterback would need.

“I’m really proud of the process that we put in place,” Spytek said. “We wanted to be deliberate and meticulous in finding the right leader.”

But while the Raiders’ future may center on a quarterback, the present includes a complicated situation with defensive star Maxx Crosby.

Reports have suggested Crosby is frustrated after being placed on injured reserve late in the season and may not be eager to endure another rebuild. Yet notably, Crosby was in the building Tuesday. He greeted Kubiak personally. The two even shared coffee before the press conference.

“We want him to be a part of our success going forward,” Kubiak said. “He’s one of the best players in the NFL.”

Davis echoed that sentiment:

“Maxx has been a great, great Raider. He is a great Raider.”

Whether that translates into a long-term partnership remains to be seen. But Tuesday’s presentation sent a message.

The Raiders are not pretending to be something they aren’t. They know the weight of their history. They displayed it — physically — on stage.

Three Lombardi Trophies.
Six legends.
One new head coach.

Kubiak now carries the challenge of connecting that legacy to a future that has felt out of reach for more than two decades.

He’ll celebrate Seattle’s parade on Wednesday. Then the real work begins.

A No. 1 draft pick.
A new staff to assemble.
A franchise hungry for relevance.

The silver and black past was watching closely.

Now it’s Kubiak’s turn to build the next chapter.