Qualities Raiders Must Identify in Next HC

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Jan 17, 2026 6:00 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders are working through the process of finding their next head coach.

Las Vegas has been a sort of ‘black hole’ (no pun intended) for head coaches over the last few years, as no one has held onto the job for more than a season and a half. The Raiders must find a coach who can stick around and really build this thing right.

The front office is poring over the current candidate pool to identify the right person for the job. There are some intriguing elements about the Raiders’ head coaching position, so General Manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady shouldn’t be hurting for candidates.

But what should they be looking for from that top candidate? Let’s identify the top qualities the team should seek.

Offensive-minded

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It’s time for the Raiders to find their own playcalling head coach who propels them to the top of the division.

The last offensive-minded HC the team hired was Josh McDaniels, who only lasted 25 games. However, McDaniels had already proven to be an unsuccessful head coach, so Las Vegas should take a swing at an unproven coordinator.

Liam Coen of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears (who the Raiders coveted last year) turned things around quickly for their respective franchises, and that candidate may be in this cycle for the Silver and Black.

Offensive line developer

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The offensive line has been the Raiders’ biggest blemish over the last two seasons, and if that issue gets cleaned up, the offense might be a serious problem for opposing defenses.

The right coach can put the Raiders’ young, talented linemen in advantageous positions, allowing the quarterback and skill position players to thrive. The OL problems were largely scheme-related last season, not talent-related. Finding a coach who can get the most out of Kolton Miller, Jackson Powers-Johnson, and others shouldn’t be hard. That should be one of the team’s top priorities.

Culture changer

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The Raiders have needed an adult in the room for quite some time, and they just haven’t been able to find one.

Antonio Pierce did an excellent job inspiring the team to play hard, but struggled with head coaching duties and the X’s and O’s. Pete Carroll was supposed to establish a floor, but the team won only three games in his lone season.

The Raiders must identify a high-character coach who is also a tactician, so they can have the best of both worlds. Will they find that coach in this cycle?

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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