Klint and Kirk Show Leads Raiders Into 2026 Season; Silver & Black Seeking Wins, Identity In Las Vegas
By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — It’s the dog days of last August and for the fourth straight season the Raiders will have a fourth straight new coach combined with a new starting quarterback since 2022.
Raiders first-year coach Klint Kubiak is a 39-year-old all-business head coach rolling out veteran 38-year-old QB Kirk Cousins against the San Francisco 49ers Thursday in the final preseason contest for the Silver & Black.
The Raiders are now in their six season in Las Vegas, a tourism-based market that paid premium public dollars to help the NFL team build a stadium on the west side of I-15 across from Mandalay Bay hotel. The public contributed $750 million to the Raiders stadium construction budget of $1.4 billion that was the primary focus of the $2 billion stadium project. It should be noted the Raiders will likely receive another $75 million in public stadium dollars to help build a new $158 million plaza on the stadium’s north side after the Las Vegas Stadium Authority Board votes to approve the $75 million at a Sept. 2 board meeting.
The Raiders have been a strong financial success in Las Vegas, but a loser on the field.
Last year’s head coach-starting quarterback combo of Pete Carroll and Geno Smith led the team to the NFL’s worst record, which allowed the team to pick first in the NFL Draft in April. The Raiders selected Heisman Award-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza from college football’s championship team, the Indiana Hoosiers.
Since 2020 when the Raiders opened this domed stadium on time and in budget, the team has searched for both wins and an identity. In 2024, the head coach was Antonio Pierce and his quarterback was Gardner Minshew. The previous year had Josh McDaniels as head coach with Jimmy Garoppolo as the QB starter.
This stadium is a plush venue with lots of premium seats and clubs and a grass playing field that gets rolled into the stadium. Many fans at Raiders games wear the jerseys of the visiting teams and the atmosphere inside Allegiant Stadium is nowhere near the religious revival flavor from the days when the Raiders played in the Coliseum.
During today’s exhibition game, Cousins looked sharp, completing eight of 11 passes for 51 yards as Raiders placekicker Matt Gay booted two field goals for a Raiders 6-0 lead. The 49ers countered with a pair of field goals before Gay booted his third three-pointer of the first half right before halftime.
Halftime: Raiders 9 49ers 6.
PSA
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