One of the perks that Tom Brady enjoys as Las Vegas Raiders minority owner?
His gig with Fox Sports affords him the opportunity to broadcast and watch postseason games.
And, as the Silver & Black continues its hunt for a head coach, Brady got a bird’s eye view of one of the candidates the team has shown interest in: Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
And hearing Brady’s impressed exclamation combined with a chuckle after running back Kenneth Walker III galloped in for a seven-yard touchdown just before halftime to boost the Seahawks commanding lead to 24-6 was likely the same reaction folk who like Kubiak as candidate to captain the Raiders.
Seattle’s 41-6 victory over the San Francisco 49ers was an exhibition in ground & pound as Kubiak put the Seahawks’ offense on Walker’s capable shoulders and the tailback produced 145 total yards and three touchdowns.
One has to wonder if Kubiak — the architect of Seattle’s third-ranked scoring offense and eighth-ranked offense in yards gained — is indeed a prime candidate for Las Vegas’ opening or if he’s just merely a name on the Raiders’ list? And vice versa, is Kubiak seriously considering the Silver & Black’s head gig or just going through the process?
Kubiak wasn’t the lone member of his family tree to have an interview with Las Vegas, his brother Klay — the 49ers offensive coordinator — spoke with the team on Sunday. The Raiders also had an interview with Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady on the same day.
Brady and general manager John Spytek are engaging in a deliberate process to land a new head coach but expect the Raiders’ list to whittle down this coming week as the playoffs moves into the AFC and NFC Championship tilts. And if Klint Kubiak is a serious contender, Las Vegas’ wait could be prolonged depending on how far the Seahawks advance.
Playoff Hopes Nix-ed?
The AFC West-champion Denver Broncos’ truly rode the highs and lows of a dramatic 33-30 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.
The team’s exhilaration of advancing to the AFC title game received a sudden gut punch when head coach Sean Payton walked up to the postgame podium and announced quarterback Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle fracture.
I cannot lie: When the news hit social media, I thought it was accounts being hacked. But seeing Payton’s face and hearing his voice in the press conference after the game was a reminder of the sobering reality of the game of football at times.
Denver now turns to backup Jarrett Stidham as QB1 and the 29-year-old draws quite the matchup with the New England Patriots — the team that drafted him in the fourth round (133rd overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. Payton’s play-call acumen is going to be thoroughly tested by Terrell Williams’ New England defense, a group that intercepted Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud four times on Saturday.
The Broncos need Nik Bonitto and the other pass rushers to get to Patriots quarterback Drake Maye — sacked five times and fumbling four times (losing two) — by the Texans stout defense.
Las Vegas is likely to use the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft on a quarterback — presumably Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza if he declares. So that’s a potential answer for QB1. But what about QB2?
Let’s assume Mendoza is the pick, the Raiders do have Geno Smith and Aidan O’Connell under contract. It’s difficult to see Smith remaining now that Pete Carroll is no longer employed by the team. And with O’Connell likely to remain with his relatively cheap $3.73-plus million cap number, Las Vegas would have an experienced option who can either start or serve as the backup.
The Call
Was it a catch by Buffalo Bills wide receiver Brandin Cooks or an interception by Broncos safety Ja’Quan McMillian? The NFL ruled it was a takeaway and after watching it over and over, I can’t definitively say one way or another.
How about you?
Yet, that play — whether you deem it conventional or controversial — belabors the point that the Raiders rebuild not only requires a quarterback but also defense, and special teams.
Las Vegas needs an infusion of talent on the defensive side of the ball this offseason whether via free agency or the draft.
First comes head coach, then coaching staff decisions and pivotal roster moves, but whether the defensive coordinator is Patrick Graham again or someone else, Spytek will have heavy lifting to do this offseason to provide quality ingredients so the coaching staff can cook.
A disciplined defense that can take the ball away helps alleviate struggles at the quarterback position — as the Patriots-Texans game showed us. New England combined spending coin in free agency with the 2025 draft picks to strengthen the defense. With ample salary space and draft picks this coming April, Las Vegas is in a good position to do the same — if Spytek is on his game and bold enough to do so, instead of bargain bin shopping and penny pinching this past offseason.
Extra Points
—Brady was enamored by Ben Johnson as a coaching candidate for the Raiders. Instead, Johnson is became the Bears boss and led the team to the NFC divisional clash where his team fell to the Los Angeles Rams 20-17 in overtime. Can Brady deliver in this current Raiders search or once again be simply used as leverage?
—The divisional round was rough for some quarterbacks and the touchdown to interceptions thrown — 13 to 12 — was razor thin. In terms of pass protection, Maye getting dropped five times was the most followed by the Rams’ Matthew Stafford getting sacked four times. The two that didn’t get sacked? The Bears’ Caleb Williams and Nix.
Up Next
While the loss of Nix is both disheartening and has reverberating effects for the Broncos going forward, Payton and Co. have no choice but to move forward best they can. The Broncos getting the the conference title game showcases how far behind the Raiders are from the rest of the AFC West. The AFC Championship Game will be in Denver as the New England Patriots head to Mile High next Sunday with a Noon (Pacific Standard Time) kickoff.
Over in the NFC, the Rams punched their title game ticket with a thrilling overtime win over the Bears. This contest will be played in Settle next Sunday with kickoff slated for 3:30 p.m. (PST)
