Raiders' Kubiak addresses whether Jeanty's reduced workload tied to jab toward Jets

Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Raiders HC Klint Kubiak addresses whether Ashton Jeanty's reduced workload tied to jab toward Jets

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Nov 1, 2026 7:12 PM ET

Before Sunday's road game against the New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders second-year running back Ashton Jeanty joked that some of their players "don't really want to tackle." He didn't get much of a chance to prove the claim.

In the Raiders' 38-33 win over the Jets, Jeanty had just two carries for nine yards. Rookie RB Mike Washington Jr. took on a heavier workload, carrying the rock 25 times for 83 yards.

In his postgame news conference, Raiders first-year head coach Klint Kubiak addressed whether Jeanty's reduced role tied to his dig at the Jets defense.

Klint Kubiak discusses Ashton Jeanty

Kubiak said Jeanty's workload didn't tie to his comments to the media, and he's not benching the RB.

"That's my call," Kubiak said of giving Jeanty just two carries. "Ashton's still going to be a big part of our team."

Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said Mike Washington Jr.’s featured role at running back was “my call” and noted Ashton Jeanty is “still going to be a big part of our team.”

Asked Kubiak if Jeanty’s limited workload had anything to do with his mid-week comments in the media.… pic.twitter.com/rkzCdWdsbg
— Sam Gordon (@BySamGordon) November 1, 2026

Washington, however, will continue to get more carries if Jeanty doesn't show Kubiak more soon. Entering Week 8, the RB had 106 carries for 328 rushing yards (3.1 yards per carry, below average) and one touchdown.

Through his first 24 games with the Raiders, Jeanty had 372 carries for 1,303 yards (3.5 yards per carry, below average) and six TDs. That's not what NFL media expected when Vegas selected the 2024 Heisman finalist with pick No. 6 in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The unimpressive numbers have made Jeanty, a former Boise State Broncos star, the subject of mockery. ESPN analyst Rex Ryan, a former Jets HC, called him "soft as Charmin" on ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown."

Rex Ryan torches Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty on ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown. pic.twitter.com/GtFmqd5C0V
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 1, 2026

After rushing for the second-most yards in a season (2,601 in 14 games) in college football history in 2024, Jeanty may have thought he would continue to run over everyone in the NFL. He won't do that until he convinces Kubiak he deserves to be a standalone back. He should focus on becoming one instead of throwing shade at his opponents.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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