Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of a Las Vegas Raiders helmet during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Raiders' Latest Coaching Addition Will Make Clear Impact

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Ezekiel Trezevant | Last updated Feb 19, 2026 12:00 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders continue to add coaches they believe will help turn things around sooner, rather than later. Las Vegas' front office continues to make up for lost time, as Klint Kubiak's staff adds assistants almost daily.

Raiders Add Familiarity

The Raiders are assembling essentially an entirely new coaching staff. After making Kubiak their fourth head coach in as many seasons, former Raiders Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham left for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Graham represented the most coaching stability the Raiders had.

Graham as the Las Vegas' defensive coordinator for four seasons, despite the many head coaching changes. Graham's departure led to Rob Leonard's eventual promotion to the coordinator position. Leonard has been primed for a coordinator position; it will be his first time in the role.

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Mike Garafolo of NFL Network recently reported that the Raiders have hired Al Holcomb as a senior defensive assistant on Kubiak's staff. Leonard and Holcomb have worked together previously. Las Vegas is another step closer to filling its staff. The added familiarity will only help the transition.

"The Raiders are hiring Al Holcomb as a senior defensive assistant, sources say. Rob Leonard’s NFL coaching career began when he took Holcomb’s role with the [New York] Giants after Holcomb joined the [Carolina] Panthers. Holcomb now joins Leonard in Vegas after interviewing with a few other teams," Garafolo said.

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Las Vegas has done a solid job of quickly adding coaches to their new coaching staff. This should only help the staff become more comfortable with each other quicker. Then, Las Vegas will begin rebuilding its roster, which is even more important than rebuilding its staff.

Still, coaching has been a significant issue for the Raiders over the past four seasons. They hope the staff they are building out will help develop the new roster Las Vegas is sure to enter next season with. Kubiak knows it will be on him and his coaching staff to develop the players on the roster.

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“I think if we can put together a great staff here and get our players up to date on these playbooks and the things we expect of them, then the results speak for themselves after that. But in the NFL, you have to earn the second game. In this league, if you don't take care of business, then you get chewed up and spit out real quick,” Kubiak said.

“I have got to show Mr. [Mark] Davis that our program is about the right things and that we're developing these players.”

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

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