There’s talk in the social media space of Jon Gruden’s return to Silver & Black.
And I’m down with it.
No, no. Not Gruden coming back — that ship has sailed.
I’m talking about the concept of Chuckie — a young
coach with potential that was equal parts hotshot and football junkie being tapped to helm the Las Vegas Raiders. Way back in 1998 the architect himself — then-owner Al Davis — made the 34-year-old Gruden the head coach. Davis saw potential, was enamored with Gruden’s football knowledge and play calling, and believed Gruden would lead the Silver & Black back to prominence.
And it worked as Gruden improved the Raiders every year and the team won back-to-back AFC West titles in 2000 and 2001. The end of his initial tenure and Gruden’s second go-around with the team were forgettable as the coach was traded by Davis to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Raiders lost in Super Bowl XXXVII that year to those said pirates.
But back to the present. The Raiders are amongst eight teams looking for a new head coach. General manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady are leading that task. Bring back some of that ‘98 flavor and go for another hotshot young coach over a veteran retread, Silver & Black.
The recent openings with the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins — two teams who altered the landscape by sending John Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel into the open market — will make filling spots competitive. The Raiders do offer the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft alongside a projected $110 million in cap space, and Las Vegas is likely banking on that being a big selling point.
“We’re looking for someone to build this the right way and not think that we’ve got to produce 10 wins or whatever next year. It’d be great to do. And we see teams like the Patriots and the Jaguars flip it. I’ve always kind of thought that you’re never as good in this league as you think you are, and you’re never as far away as you think you are. And we’re just going to go open-minded,” Spytek said during his Monday media session. “The work has begun upstairs this afternoon, and I’ve got to get back up here in a little bit and keep going. But we’re going to prioritize. Whoever’s the best coach for the Las Vegas Raiders is who we’re going to hire. And we’re not beginning with the end in mind, and we want a meticulous build that will set us up for years of success in the future, and we have a great opportunity to do that with everything that we have in front of us right now.”
Let’s take a glance at young coaches:
Offensive Minded
Davis Webb
Denver Broncos offensive pass game coordinator/QB coach, 30: While Sean Patyon gets a lot of glory for Bo Nix’s development as quarterback, Webb has a big hand in that progression. With a strong work ethic, communications skills, and a background as a recent player (2017 third-round pick) that’s worked with elite offensive minds, Webb has the profile you’d want from a coach that’ll likely be developing the No. 1 overall pick that, barring a surprise, is a quarterback. Thus, it’s no surprise that Webb is one of the first interviews to be done as Las Vegas search embarks.
Klint Kubiak
Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator, 38: Talk about NFL lifer. The son of Gary Kubiak, Klint has risen as a play caller and has the Seahawks sporting the third-best scoring offense (483 total points), eighth-best yards gained (5,973), along with the 10th-ranked rushing offense (2,096 yards). Kubiak is a football encyclopedia and his low-key personality is at the brunt of his business-like work ethic. No surprise he’s on the Raiders’ interview slate.
Mike LaFleur
Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator, 38: Being a Sean McVay current assistant or former disciple makes you a hotshot candidate by default. LaFleur, alongside McVay, have the Rams’ offense tops in the league in points scored and yards gained (518, 6,709, respectively) and as the best passing attack (4,557 yards, 46 touchdowns). LaFleur working with the next Raiders quarterback is enticing.
Declan Doyle
Chicago Bears offensive coordinator, 29: Ben Johnson’s hand-picked choice for his offensive coordinator, Doyle is one of the youngest coordinators in the NFL. Learning from Payton and working with Webb as tight end coach in Denver, Doyle is helping Johnson’s turnaround with the Bears as the duo engineer the ninth-ranked scoring offense (441), sixth-best yards gained (6,282).
Defensive Minded
Chris Shula
Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator, 39: With excellent NFL pedigree — the grandson of legend Don Shula — Chris’s Rams defense is ranked 10th in points allowed (346) while generating the fifth-best takeaways (26). Tied to McVay’s hip since 2017, Shula has been around elite NFL minds and has the tireless effort, constant communication, and knowledge of the game that’ll make him an attractive candidate for several teams.
Jessie Minter
Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator, 42: If you buy into the Wolverines wonder between Spytek and Brady, Minter falls into that category being a Michigan coach from 2022-23. Minter also has a distinction as a Harbaugh guy working for both John Harbaugh (Ravens 2017-20) and Jim Harbaugh (Michigan and currently Chargers). Minter’s defense is ranked ninth in points allowed (340), fifth in yards yielded (4,849), and seventh in takeaways (23).
Nick Rallis
Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator, 33: With Jonathan Gannon getting dismissed as head coach, Rallis’ status with Arizona is in limbo. But he’s considered a rising star despite orchestrating a bottom-end Cardinals defense (29th in points allowed, 27th in yards allowed). Rallis’ adaptability and flexibility have helped preparation and execution, something that wasn’t done very well in Las Vegas this past season.
Kelvin Sheppard
Detroit Lions defensive coordinator, 37: With a high-octane personality, Sheppard is in the mold of his boss Dan Campbell, and likely brings back Chuckie vibes to the Silver & Black. Sheppard is heralded as a players coach and a coach can motivate and teach at the macro and micro levels. Sheppard’s defense ranked 22nd in points allowed (413) and 18th in yards allowed (5,642). But he can command a room and as a former player, relate to his team.
