Ed Graney: Hey, Raiders fans, are you ready for Klint Kubiak?

Ed Graney, Las Vegas Review-Journal on Feb 10, 2026

Published in Football

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LAS VEGAS — If you’re a Las Vegas Raiders fan and watched Super Bowl LX, you know.

This is what Klint Kubiak will bring as the team’s next head coach, only a lot more than on this given night.

It was still good enough to win it all.

Kubiak as the Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator is a Super Bowl champion, the result of a 29-13 victory against New England on Sunday.

Kubiak will now take his play-call sheet and, soon, a shiny new ring to Las Vegas, where he should be introduced this week.

“I’m just going to enjoy my family and enjoy being Seahawks tonight,” Kubiak said on NFL Network following the game. “We’re going to enjoy tonight. You guys know I’m going to Las Vegas. I’m fired up about it. … Hell, yeah, I’m going. Of course, I’m going.”

Well, that’s that.

It wasn’t an offensive clinic by any means. Credit much of that to the Patriots. But it’s no wonder Ashton Jeanty is so excited about Kubiak as his new coach.

The Raiders running back has seen enough to understand how much the scheme is built around the ground game.

And that’s how Seattle generated enough points Sunday.

Kenneth Walker III was a deserving Most Valuable Player, rushing 27 times for 135 yards. Kubiak called his type of game against an aggressive New England side, relying on Walker to set up the plays quarterback Sam Darnold could make.

Seattle would kick a Super Bowl record five field goals, so it wasn’t as if Darnold and his teammates were finishing red-zone opportunities with touchdowns all evening.

But trusting Walker proved to be the best of decisions.

Darnold would finish 19-of-38 passing for 202 yards and his one scoring pass was typical of a Kubiak call.

A play-action to Walker caused the Patriots to pause long enough for Darnold to find AJ Barner from 16 yards out.

That’s the sort of stuff you could see often from the Raiders beginning next season. I’m thinking Brock Bowers is all sorts of jacked about the possibilities.

“I know we won the Super Bowl but we could have been a little better on offense,” Darnold said. “I don’t care about that right now. It’s an unbelievable feeling. I’m just so happy for the guys in the locker room and the coaches who put in so much effort for the whole season. … Our running game was special tonight.”

You watch Kubiak’s offense and can’t help but think: It’s more and more a reminder of how critical it will be for the Raiders to improve their offensive line.

Walker is a terrific player, but he doesn’t have such an impressive postseason without those in front of him. And that’s what could make Jeanty so valuable in a second year.

That’s why it’s so imperative general manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady fix what needs to be fixed. Jeanty could be special under Kubiak, but not if true weaknesses aren’t finally addressed after years of underperforming.

It’s also true Kubiak will likely be tutoring a rookie starting at quarterback in Fernando Mendoza. That the former will be staking much of his resume as a first-time NFL head coach on such inexperience at the game’s most important position.

But look what he did with Darnold. Look at the strides a player on his fifth team made under Kubiak. Look what transpired with a true redemption story.

If he really has the ability of a No. 1 overall draft pick, and I would agree the jury is out until proved so, Mendoza should become more than a competent NFL quarterback under Kubiak’s direction.

And there is this: Much speculation has been made of which coaches Kubiak might now bring along with him from Seattle. Here’s a thought after watching the Super Bowl:

Get this Aden Durde fellow on the next plane if possible.

The Seahawks’ defensive coordinator helped produce one of the greatest performances by a defense in a season’s final game. And unlike in Seattle, he could call the defensive plays in Las Vegas.

But such are decisions for the coming days, for when the news conference is held and Kubiak is settled and his duties begin to find the answers that can improve 3-14.

If you’re a Raiders fan and watched the Super Bowl, you know.

You got a taste.

It wasn’t an offensive clinic but it was enough to lift a Lombardi Trophy.

Now we will see how Klint Kubiak translates to a bigger role.

“I’m really happy for Klint,” Seattle coach Mike Macdonald said on NFL Network. “Without him, we wouldn’t be here. Just being bought into what we wanted to create. Bringing that to the offense every day. So steadfast in his approach. It’s team first and that’s what I appreciate about him. Obviously, he’s a brilliant mind. He’s a great coach. … Happy for Klint.”

Hell, yeah, he’s coming.

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