The Las Vegas Raiders knew they were going to be playing catch-up when they waited to hire Klint Kubiak as head coach. Now, as the rest of the league’s coaching staffs are mostly locked in, the Raiders are navigating a late start in assembling their own.
It’s not an indictment of Kubiak-just a byproduct of patience. But it’s created some real challenges in filling out the key coordinator roles.
Let’s be clear: there are still quality candidates out there. The Raiders aren’t out of options. But the timing has made things tricky, and they’ve already run into a few roadblocks.
Las Vegas has been active, casting a wide net. On offense, they interviewed Seahawks wide receivers coach Frisman Jackson for the OC job.
On defense, they spoke with Rob Leonard-an internal candidate-and Aubrey Pleasant, a rising name from the Rams. But the search hasn’t exactly gone smoothly.
Karl Scott, who many believed was a front-runner for the defensive coordinator position, opted to stay in Seattle. The Seahawks also blocked the Raiders from interviewing Justin Outten for the offensive coordinator spot.
Then Zach Orr passed on a chance to interview in Vegas, instead taking a linebackers coach role-again, with Seattle. And Ashton Grant, the Patriots’ quarterbacks coach, chose not to pursue the OC opportunity in Vegas either.
So yeah, the Raiders have taken a few hits in this coordinator search. But the process continues. According to reports, they’ve lined up an interview with Seahawks safeties coach Jeff Howard for the defensive coordinator job.
Howard’s name might not be front and center in coaching circles, but his résumé runs deep. A former All-American linebacker at Division II Eastern New Mexico, Howard worked his way up from the high school ranks to major college programs, eventually landing at Texas Tech where he served on both the offensive and defensive staffs. That versatility caught the eye of NFL coaches, and he joined the Minnesota Vikings under Leslie Frazier as a defensive assistant.
That’s where his path first crossed with Klint Kubiak, who was working on the offensive side in Minnesota at the time. Also on that Vikings staff? Kevin Stefanski and Joe Woods-two coaches who’ve since become key figures in Howard’s professional journey.
When Frazier was let go, Howard was one of the few assistants retained by incoming head coach Mike Zimmer. That move proved pivotal, giving Howard the chance to work with names like Jonathan Gannon, Scott Turner, Todd Downing, and Bill Musgrave-coaches who’ve gone on to prominent roles across the league.
In 2019, Gary Kubiak joined the Vikings, reuniting with Howard and further intertwining the coaching web. When Stefanski left to take the Browns’ head coaching job in 2020, he brought Howard along as defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator. Howard spent three seasons in Cleveland in that role, working under defensive coordinator Joe Woods-again, a familiar face.
That Cleveland staff was loaded with connections to the Raiders: Drew Petzing, now the Lions’ OC, was there. So was Bill Callahan, the former Raiders head coach. And Jason Tarver, a former Raiders DC, was on that staff too.
After Cleveland, Howard joined the Chargers in 2023 as linebackers coach under Brandon Staley. But that season unraveled quickly. In 2024, he moved to Seattle, where he served under Mike Macdonald, and in 2025, he reunited with Klint Kubiak once again.
All told, Howard and Kubiak have spent four seasons together across two organizations. That kind of continuity matters-especially when you’re trying to build a culture and a system from the ground up. Kubiak clearly trusts Howard enough to give him a serious look for the DC role.
Now, Howard has never called plays at the college or pro level, and that’s something to consider. But he brings 13 years of NFL coaching experience, a wealth of defensive knowledge, and a network that stretches across some of the league’s most respected coaching trees. And there’s another wrinkle: if Howard lands the job, it could give the Raiders an inside track on Seahawks safety Coby Bryant, a pending free agent who should be on Vegas’ radar this offseason.
At the end of the day, an interview is just a step in the process. But given how deliberate the Raiders were in hiring their head coach, expect them to be just as methodical in building out the rest of the staff.
Jeff Howard will get his shot to make an impression Saturday. Whether he’s the guy or not, the Raiders are clearly looking for more than just a résumé-they’re looking for fit, familiarity, and someone who can help shape the next era of Silver and Black football.