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Klint Kubiak Confirms he Will be Next Raiders Head Coach
Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator confirmed on Sunday after winning Super Bowl LX over the New England Patriots that he will be the next head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, according to NFL Network. "Hell yeah, I'm going [to Las Vegas.]" Kubiak said. The 38-year-old and the Raiders began finalizing an agreement a week ago, but no official announcement could be made until after the Super Bowl. Kubiak will be the third head coach in Vegas in three seasons and the fifth head coach since the moved to Vegas in 2020. He will take over for Pete Carroll, who went 3-14 in his lone season with the Raiders. Kubiak will likely be counted on to mold Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who is expected to be selected by the Raiders with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Kubiak's work with Sam Darnold in 2025 got the Raiders' attention.
Source: NFL Network
Source: NFL Network
Chiefs to be Hit Hard by Free Agency This Offseason
NFL.com's Matt Okada ranks the Kansas City Chiefs as No. 1 on his list of teams that are positioned to be hit the hardest by free agency in 2026. In addition to having 30 impending free agents (tied for fifth-most in the league), the Chiefs are projected to be $54.7 million over the salary cap this year. They are coming off a six-win season (fewest wins since 2012), and superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes (knee) is recovering from a torn ACL. The most notable Chiefs players scheduled to hit free agency are tight end Travis Kelce (retirement is a possibility), starting defensive backs Jaylen Watson and Bryan Cook, pass-rusher Charles Omenihu, running backs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, and a good chunk of their receivers. To save cap space, the Chiefs could cut starting right tackle Jawaan Taylor, but it's not an ideal move for a team looking to shore up their offensive line. If anyone can work magic, it would be general manager Brett Veach, but things are looking bleak for KC after they missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade in 2025.
Source: NFL.com - Matt Okada
Source: NFL.com - Matt Okada
Jon Gruden's Lawyers Seeking Testimony from Roger Goodell, Owners
Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden's attorneys will seek testimony from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and at least four current and former NFL owners in his lawsuit over whether the league leaked the emails that forced his departure as the Raiders' coach, according to a court filing this week. Gruden resigned in October of 2021 after the publication of emails he sent years earlier that included racist, misogynistic, and anti-gay language. Gruden's lawsuit accuses the league and Goodell of a "malicious and orchestrated campaign" to destroy his career. To this point, there have been no settlement talks. Gruden was an on-air analyst for ESPN from 2011 to 2018 when the emails were sent. In its filings to seek dismissal of Gruden's lawsuit, the NFL has said Gruden's case "hinges solely on unsupported allegations that fail as a matter of law or fall far short of stating a claim and should have been promptly dismissed when the NFL Parties first so moved."
Source: ESPN.com - Don Van Natta Jr.
Source: ESPN.com - Don Van Natta Jr.
Robert Kraft Won't be a First-Ballot Hall of Famer
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, like former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, was not selected for entry into this year's Pro Football Hall of Fame class, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Kraft bought the team for $172 million in 1994, and the Patriots have appeared in 11 Super Bowls (six wins) since he purchased the team. They have a chance to win their seventh Super Bowl this Sunday versus the Seattle Seahawks, which would give New England the most Lombardi trophies in league history. Kraft has been a centerpiece of the team's 24-year dynasty. He hired Belichick in 1999, and Belichick went on to lead the Patriots to a 266-121 record while winning 17 AFC East titles. Kraft is attempting to become the 17th owner in NFL history to be inducted into the HOF, joining Jerry Jones, Eddie Debartolo Jr., Pat Bowlen, Ralph Wilson, Dan Rooney, and Al Davis.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Rams Sign Sean McVay, Les Snead to Contract Extensions
The Los Angeles Rams signed head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead to contract extensions on Monday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Both McVay and Snead were previously extended after winning Super Bowl LVI. McVay was hired as the head coach in 2017, while Snead has been the GM since 2012. Since 2017, the Rams have compiled a 92-57 regular-season record, which ranks fifth-best in the NFL. McVay and Snead enter 2026 tied with Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and GM Brett Veach, and San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch for the longest-tenured active head coach-GM pairing. Since McVay was hired in 2017, L.A. has made the playoffs seven times, playing in three NFC Championship games and two Super Bowls. McVay became the winningest head coach in Rams history last year.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Saints to be Home Team for First-Ever NFL Game in Paris in 2026
The National Football League announced on Monday that the New Orleans Saints will be the "home" team for the first-ever NFL game in Paris, France, during the 2026 regular season this fall, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The game will be played at the Stade de France, France's national stadium. New Orleans was granted international marketing rights in France in 2023, and owner Gayle Benson, linebacker Demario Davis, and team officials visited Paris last summer to grow the team's brand. The Saints' opponent for the game in Paris will be announced when the NFL reveals its full schedule in the spring. The NFL will have eight international games in the 2026 season, with three of them set to be played in London/United Kingdom.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Giants Owner Steve Tisch Connected to Jeffrey Epstein
The Athletic reports that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein connected New York Giants chairman and co-owner Steve Tisch with multiple women, according to newly released emails. Tisch received scouting reports on women from Epstein, and the two men discussed whether women were "pro or civilian" or a "working girl." The 76-year-old Tisch assumed his role with the Giants in 2005 after his father purchased 50% of the team back in 1991. Epstein died by suicide in August of 2019 in his jail cell while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. Tisch offered Epstein two tickets to his suite for a Giants game in September 2013 and also invited him to other games. Epstein invited Tisch to visit him on his private island in the Caribbean, but it's unclear if Tisch ever went. It's obviously a bad look for the organization, although it's unclear how the Giants and the NFL will handle it. Stay tuned.
Source: The Athletic - Carson Kessler, Nathan Fenno, and Katie Strong
Source: The Athletic - Carson Kessler, Nathan Fenno, and Katie Strong
Klint Kubiak Expected to Land Raiders or Cardinals Head-Coaching Job
ESPN's Adam Schefter said on Friday on The Pat McAfee Show that Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak "is getting the Raiders or the Cardinals" head-coaching job. "He's definitely getting one of those jobs." Kubiak has established himself as one of the best offensive coordinators and play-callers in the last few seasons. He led a scrappy New Orleans Saints team in 2024 and has helped quarterback Sam Darnold lead the Seahawks to the Super Bowl in his first year with the team in 2025. The son of former head coach Gary Kubiak, Klint is considered the front-runner for the head-coaching gig with the Raiders, but if he for some reason doesn't get hired there, it sounds like the Cardinals will bring him on board. Both organizations are a mess, but the Raiders have the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft and are expected to take Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza. Under Kubiak this year, Seattle's offense ranked fourth in yards per play and second in yards per pass play.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Packers Sign General Manager Brian Gutekunst to Multi-Year Extension
The Green Bay Packers announced on Friday that they signed general manager Brian Gutekunst and executive vice president/director of football operations Russ Ball to multi-year contract extensions, according to Bobby Kownack of NFL.com. The announcement comes around two weeks after it was reported that the Packers reached a multi-year extension with head coach Matt LaFleur. Gutekunst has been with the organization since starting as a scout in 1999, before rising to the title of GM in 2018. Ball has worked in the team's front office since 2008 and earned his current title in 2018. LaFleur, Gutekunst, and Ball have led the Packers to six playoff appearances, twice reaching the NFC Championship game. However, Green Bay has gone 3-6 overall in the playoffs in that span. The Packers should be in playoff contention again in 2026, but they won't have a first-round pick in this year's NFL Draft.
Source: NFL.com - Bobby Kownack
Source: NFL.com - Bobby Kownack
Rob Brzezinski to Take Over as Vikings Interim General Manager
The Minnesota Vikings announced on Friday that long-time executive Rob Brzezinski will lead the team's football operations through the 2026 NFL Draft after the organization fired former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, according to Will Ragatz of Sports Illustrated. The Vikings won't have an immediate search for a new GM. Brzezinski has been in the Vikings organization since 1999, first serving as the vice president of football administration and later as the executive vice president of football operations. Depending on how things go during this year's draft, Brzezinski may be a candidate for the full-time GM role moving forward. The Vikings went 14-3 with Sam Darnold as their quarterback in 2024, but they failed to make the postseason with young QB J.J. McCarthy struggling in his first NFL season. Meanwhile, Darnold led the Seahawks to the Super Bowl.
Source: Sports Illustrated - Will Ragatz
Source: Sports Illustrated - Will Ragatz
Vikings Fire General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
The Minnesota Vikings fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Friday, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. This is a big surprise after the Vikings gave Adofo-Mensah a multi-year contract extension just last offseason. He had been the team's GM since the start of the 2022 season. The Vikings went 14-3 thanks to the help of quarterback Sam Darnold in 2024, but they decided to let him leave in free agency and ride into the future with J.J. McCarthy, who was taken in the first round in 2024. That decision alone could have cost Adofo-Mensah his job, with Darnold leading the Seattle Seahawks to another 14-win season and a Super Bowl appearance this year, while McCarthy struggled with consistency and health. The Vikings also announced on Friday that Rob Brzezinski will operate as the interim GM.
Source: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
Source: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
Mike McCarthy Believes he has a "Playoff Roster" in Pittsburgh
New Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy is ready to hit the ground running in his new gig in the Steel City and is excited about the roster that he's inheriting, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. "This is not a start-over opportunity at all. This is a football team that was in the playoffs last year. This is a playoff roster," McCarthy said. The former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys head coach is focused on filling out the rest of his coaching staff for 2026 before the team makes any decisions on impending free agents. The Steelers made the postseason in 2025 but were blown out by the Houston Texans in the Wild-Card round. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be a free agent in March, and it's unclear if he even wants to play another year, let alone return to Pittsburgh. In addition to question marks at the most important position, the Steelers really could use more receiver depth behind DK Metcalf.
Source: ESPN.com - Brooke Pryor
Source: ESPN.com - Brooke Pryor
Falcons Hiring Ian Cunningham as Their General Manager
The Atlanta Falcons are hiring Chicago Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham on Thursday as their new general manager, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Cunningham will replace Terry Fontenot, who was fired after the 2025 season. In his first-ever NFL GM job, Cunningham will work closely with former quarterback and president of football Matt Ryan moving forward. He got his start in the NFL in 2008 as a personnel assistant with the Baltimore Ravens and was promoted to area scout in 2013. Cunningham has also been the Philadelphia Eagles' director of scouting in 2017 before being promoted to director of player personnel in 2020. He has been with the Bears as the assistant GM since 2021. The Falcons went 37-48 in the five years that Fontenot was the GM. Cunningham will now try to help Atlanta get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Davis Webb to Withdraw From Raiders Head-Coaching Search
Denver Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb plans to withdraw from the Las Vegas Raiders' head-coaching search and is considered a prime candidate to be promoted to offensive coordinator in Denver, a source told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Webb has also received several offensive-coordinator requests around the league, including with the Buffalo Bills. In addition to interviewing for the Raiders' head-coaching job, Webb interviewed with the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills before they hired Jesse Minter and Joe Brady, respectively. The Broncos fired OC Joe Lombardi earlier this week, likely with the intention of promoting Webb under head coach Sean Payton. A former backup QB, Webb has been a hot name in the coaching cycle this year. Given his experience working with quarterback Bo Nix (ankle) the last two years, keeping Webb around in 2026 would be a big win for the Broncos.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Raiders Head-Coaching Job is Klint Kubiak's to Lose?
The Las Vegas Raiders plan to interview Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak over the weekend and then make a decision on their head-coaching vacancy, sources told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. "It's probably (Kubiak's) job to lose," one candidate predicted. Kubiak's interview with the Raiders will be his second with the organization. The Raiders cannot officially hire Kubiak until after Super Bowl LX is played on Sunday, Feb. 8. The Raiders are also looking at Denver Broncos quarterbacks coach/passing-game coordinator Davis Webb and Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero for the head-coaching job, but Kubiak appears to be the clear front-runner. Under Kubiak in 2025, Seattle finished third in points per game (28.4) and eighth in total yards per game (351.4). If hired by the Raiders, Kubiak will likely be tasked with developing Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
