NFL Insider Tom Pelissero noted that candidates might find the Raiders' leadership structure confusing. Pelissero mentioned that Mark Davis and Tom Brady co-run the football operations alongside John Spytek, a triad that has raised eyebrows across the league.
The Las Vegas Raiders conducted a second interview Monday with Denver Broncos passing game coordinator Davis Webb for their head coaching position.
The meeting followed reports that Webb met with the Buffalo Bills earlier that morning regarding their own opening. Raiders officials reportedly moved quickly to secure the follow-up interview, attempting to stay ahead of the competition. While Buffalo has expressed interest, NFL rules require the team to wait until the Broncos' season officially concludes before proceeding further, creating a window for Las Vegas to act.
Dec 9, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis looks on before the in season tournament championship final between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
As the chaotic hiring cycle hit, with Mike McDaniel signing as the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers and Kevin Stefanski accepting the head coaching position with the Atlanta Falcons, the Raiders moved quickly to secure their preferred candidate before the market narrowed further.
The franchise's urgency is driven by a singular goal: finding a coach who can develop a franchise quarterback. The team currently holds the presumptive number one overall pick in Fernando Mendoza, an asset that minority owner Tom Brady views as central to the puzzle.
Brady has been the most vocal figure regarding the organization's desire to deliver a winner, stating that the fan base deserves a return to the franchise's winning traditions under his tutelage.
"I think every team right now is going through their own process to try to figure out what best suits them," Brady said. "We want to deliver a winner in Las Vegas. The fan base deserves it, and it's been a long time, so there's a lot of pieces of the puzzle."
However, NFL Insider Tom Pelissero noted that candidates might find the Raiders' leadership structure confusing. Pelissero mentioned during the Rich Eisen Show on Monday that Mark Davis and Tom Brady are co-running the football operations alongside John Spytek, a triad that has raised eyebrows across the league.
"With Las Vegas, I just said it, I mean you've got Tom Brady who ostensibly is running the football operation along with John Spytek," Pelissero said. "People come out of those interviews just going, 'Who exactly is running the building? What exactly am I looking at here?'"
Pelissero further questioned how Brady would manage the team from Florida.
"Tom lives in Miami. How is he co-running the football operations from 2,000 miles away in a really tough division where you're going up against Sean Payton, Andy Reid, and Jim Harbaugh?" This geographical disconnect adds another layer of complexity to a division already stacked with established coaching heavyweights.
Raiders intend to hire Klint Kubiak?
While Webb remains a frontrunner, Klint Kubiak has emerged as a top alternative. Las Vegas must wait two weeks if it intends to hire Klint Kubiak from the Pacific Northwest, just years after Kubiak bounced between five different teams before finding immense success leading the Seattle Seahawks to a 16-3 record.
"What's so amazing with Klint is he's on his fifth different team in five years," Pelissero added. "He has bounced around... you can imagine a guy who's got a wife and a family."
Despite the competition, Webb remains a favorite because of his offensive upside. The strongest evidence of Webb's potential came during a preseason matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, a tactical display where he took the reins from Sean Payton and called plays that resulted in scores on four out of five drives.
Raiders officials are expected to conclude their current round of interviews this week, with analysts expecting a final decision soon as the franchise prepares for the upcoming draft.
Category: General Sports
