The Las Vegas Raiders have fired head coach Pete Carroll after just one season in which the team went 3-14 and locked up the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. With Carroll out, 2026 will mark the fourth time in five seasons that the Raiders have had a different head coach in Week 1.
There are no shortages of names that general manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady can look at for the job, and these coaches should be circled by Raiders fans as names to watch.
Kevin Stefanski
The former head coach of the Cleveland Browns immediately becomes one of the hottest names in this head coaching cycle. While Cleveland went just 8-26 over their last two seasons, Stefanski was dealt the worst possible hand at quarterback in the NFL in that span, starting the likes of Deshaun Watson, Bailey Zappe, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Shedeur Sanders, to name just a few. He has proven he can take a bad franchise and turn them into a team that wins in the postseason. He's a two-time coach of the year for a reason, and he should be the first person the Raiders call.
Klint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks
Kubiak has been a name on the rise over the last handful of years. He helped the San Francisco 49ers passing attack become incredibly dangerous during his time as their pass game coordinator. And while 2024 in New Orleans didn't end well, the Saints' offense scored 40 points in each of their first two games of the season before losing Derek Carr. In his first season in Seattle, the Seahawks were sixth in yards per play and third in points per game. In terms of assistants who have never been a head coach, Kubiak is probably the guy looked at as the potential next Liam Coen or Ben Johnson.
Jessee Minter, Los Angeles Chargers
The Raiders could stay in the AFC West with their hire and nab the defensive coordinator of the Chargers. Minter's unit ranked fifth in total defense this season and allowed the third-fewest touchdowns in the NFL. Considering the Raiders allowed the seventh-most touchdowns, they could look at a defensive-minded coach who can bring in a quality offensive staff to help fix what was one of the worst offenses in football in 2025.
Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders
Kingsbury's time in Arizona didn't go as planned, netting just one playoff appearance, but his name is one that is floating around and he could get another shot at a head job. The work he's done with Jayden Daniels, specifically in 2024 and helping Washington get to the NFC Championship Game, is a big feather in his cap that could garner another shot at leading a team.