The Las Vegas Raiders are working to finalize a deal to make Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak their new head coach, according to a person with knowledge of the situation revealed Sunday.
The source spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no contract is in place and no announcement can be made until next Sunday’s Super Bowl.
The Seahawks will cross swords with the New England Patriots in Santa Clara.
Kubiak met with the Raiders for the second time on Saturday and he seemed their priority.
The 38-year-old Kubiak would become the Raiders’ third head coach in three seasons and the fifth since their arrival in Las Vegas in 2020. He would succeed Pete Carroll, who was 3-14 with the Raiders.
The Raiders will likely count on Kubiak to make Fernando Mendoza, who led Indiana University to the national title, the star quarterback the organization has long sought.
The Raiders have the top pick in this year’s draft and are expected to use it to select the newest Heisman Trophy winner.
Management will have nearly US$90 million in salary room to surround Mendoza with talented players, the second highest amount in the league, according to overthecap.com.
It was Kubiak’s work with Sam Darnold that caught the attention of the Raiders. Darnold, selected third overall by the New York Jets in the 2018 draft, was considered a failure until he helped the Minnesota Vikings win 14 games in 2014.
The Vikings parted ways with Darnold, but the quarterback proved this season was no fluke, winning 14 games in Seattle to reach the Super Bowl.
The Raiders interviewed 15 candidates for the head coaching position.
