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Figured it is best to start a new official thread around Kubiak being our HC as the other one was built up so much around the search. His introduction presser is at 11 PST today.

Good for Coach. Good for his Fam. This is his 6th city in the last 6th years being on the sideline of an NFL team. I like Seattle, couldn’t pay me to live there. Must be nice for them to land in sunny Las Vegas after all them grey clouds and rain. I’m sure it’ll be right comfortable for a fella that grew up in Houston, Texas.

5 year contract, beautiful new stadium/practice field/headquarters. Top of the line everything. Get himself a posh home and set down some blessed roots. Win, and you don’t have to think about moving boxes and tape for a good long while.

Genuinely happy for ya Coach.

Welcome to Raider Nation.

GoodTimeCharlie wrote: Tue Feb 10, 2026 7:12 am Good for Coach. Good for his Fam. This is his 6th city in the last 6th years being on the sideline of an NFL team. I like Seattle, couldn’t pay me to live there. Must be nice for them to land in sunny Las Vegas after all them grey clouds and rain. I’m sure it’ll be right comfortable for a fella that grew up in Houston, Texas.

5 year contract, beautiful new stadium/practice field/headquarters. Top of the line everything. Get himself a posh home and set down some blessed roots. Win, and you don’t have to think about moving boxes and tape for a good long while.

Genuinely happy for ya Coach.

Welcome to Raider Nation.

Kubiak (and Mendoza) is the beginning of a new era for this franchise and it feels the future is as bright as it's been in absolute years.

We've hit the bottom, now is the time we rise to the top!

The abundance of optimism is killing me. I really want to buy in (and I am) but I feel compelled to bring balance to the force with:





Again I am as excited as anybody but I’ve tried kicking this football so many times

Xramfan wrote: Tue Feb 10, 2026 7:34 am The abundance of optimism is killing me. I really want to buy in (and I am) but I feel compelled to bring balance to the force with:





Again I am as excited as anybody but I’ve tried kicking this football so many times

Same here.

"I'll believe it when I see it" has held up for the last two decades +. I think this is the best chance we've had in a long, long time to become a winning franchise again, but the disappointment run deep with this organization.

We are now sleeping with the enemy. I disliked his pop because of who he played/coached for but the tree is undeniably sharp.

Let's temper our expectations here. I do not expect him to blow anyone away in a presser. He's not a rah rah or a super eloquent speaker from what I've seen from him. He's very much a sharp, analytical, do your job kind of guy. And that's absolutely fine, maybe exactly what we need.

I am very excited about this hire, and IMO it’s the most important thing to happen this off-season.

In some ways, it’s a belt/belt loop scenario, where we wouldn’t have been able to hire Klint if not for the #1 overall pick, so who’s the real hero? (Shoutout Mitch Hedberg)

But even with that considered, I still think Klint is the “belt” in this analogy. How many times have we seen a 1 overall pick be wasted because of bad coaching/management, here or with other clubs? The 1 pick is the belt loops, useful, but meaningless without the belt.

Klint has to prove he can do it an organizational level, but his success with Darnold proves this exact point. With bad coaching, Mendoza would look like Darnold with the Jets, high potential but “seeing ghosts”.

With good coaching out the gate (hopefully!!), who knows how good Mendoza can be…

Xramfan wrote: Tue Feb 10, 2026 7:34 am The abundance of optimism is killing me. I really want to buy in (and I am) but I feel compelled to bring balance to the force with:





Again I am as excited as anybody but I’ve tried kicking this football so many times

Yep. Things are looking up, but I'm try to stay grounded. It's still the Raiders. I need to see it before I ever drink the Koolaid again.

Until our defense can prove it is at minimum mediocre, I don't expect much in the wins column from Kubiak. It's all good to be excited, I am. But realistically a rookie QB can't do much even with an elite playcaller without a good and functioning defense.

If Maxx leaves, our defense has a chance to be one of the worst. So my expectations are on hold until year 2.

BotesBoats wrote: Tue Feb 10, 2026 9:15 am Until our defense can prove it is at minimum mediocre, I don't expect much in the wins column from Kubiak. It's all good to be excited, I am. But realistically a rookie QB can't do much even with an elite playcaller without a good and functioning defense.

If Maxx leaves, our defense has a chance to be one of the worst. So my expectations are on hold until year 2.

The defense was garbage with Maxx. Trading Maxx, acquiring a couple younger guys combined with better coaching will go a long way

BoKnows81 wrote: Tue Feb 10, 2026 9:32 am The defense was garbage with Maxx. Trading Maxx, acquiring a couple younger guys combined with better coaching will go a long way

Maybe, by year 2 and 3.

In almost all scenarios though, getting rid of an all pro pass rusher and replacing him with some rookies or younger guys, your defense doesn't get better. That's just hope.

Either way though, with or without Max, our defense needs an overhaul. Trading him isn't the catalyst for getting better, keeping him isn't either. Its independent of Maxx IMO. Its going to be dependent on what we do over the next 2 offseasons and drafts and who is in charge.

BotesBoats wrote: Tue Feb 10, 2026 9:36 am Maybe, by year 2 and 3.

In almost all scenarios though, getting rid of an all pro pass rusher and replacing him with some rookies or younger guys, your defense doesn't get better. That's just hope.

Either way though, with or without Max, our defense needs an overhaul. Trading him isn't the catalyst for getting better, keeping him isn't either. Its independent of Maxx IMO. Its going to be dependent on what we do over the next 2 offseasons and drafts and who is in charge.

Thats just not true. Maxx should get us PREMIUM picks. Along with 2nd cost cap space, I am truly confident we could get 2 or 3 guys via draft or FA and get better production while getting younger, than just having Maxx.