Klint Kubiak walked into the NFL annual meeting in Phoenix on Tuesday morning and sounded like a coach who knows exactly what Raiders fans are asking for.
Win, and build it to last.
Speaking with reporters, the first-year Raiders head coach hit the pressure points Raider Nation has lived for years: quarterback development, the No. 1 pick, Maxx Crosby’s importance and why Las Vegas made a big move at center with Tyler Linderbaum.
Why Tyler Linderbaum is the key to Kubiak’s offense
Kubiak did not dance around why the center spot matters so much in what he wants to run. He framed it as the heartbeat of the operation.
“He touches the ball on every play, makes the line calls, he calls protections,” Kubiak said. “He’s the leader of the whole operation.”
Kubiak called Linderbaum “physically nasty” and said he finishes “through the echo of the whistle.” He also pointed to the motor that jumps off the tape, including the plays where Linderbaum runs downfield to throw blocks.
“That’s just who he is in his DNA,” Kubiak said. “He’s going to be a robot that we want all players to emulate.”
Then Kubiak made the bigger point. The Raiders are done collecting names. He wants proven winners.
“We’re trying to bring winners to the Raiders so that we can be on that level and go beat playoff teams,” he said.
Maxx Crosby is the standard, and Kubiak said it out loud
Kubiak did not hedge when asked about Crosby’s role after a chaotic stretch that briefly made it look like the star defensive end could be headed elsewhere.
“I just saw we got a lot better really fast,” Kubiak said. “Maxx is the best player on our defense. He’s going to be a leader on our team.”
Kubiak said he texted Crosby once things settled because he assumed Crosby had plenty of calls coming in. What stood out most to him was how fast Crosby snapped back into routine.
“He’s back in our building the next day doing his rehab like nothing ever happened,” Kubiak said. “He’s one of the first guys there every day.”
Rookie quarterback plan: ideal vs reality
With the No. 1 pick hovering over every Raiders conversation, Kubiak leaned into a common-sense approach that still leaves room for the league’s reality.
In an ideal world, he said, a young quarterback gets to learn behind a veteran.
“In a perfect world, then he’s watching a mature adult go and run an offense and run the team,” Kubiak said.
However, Kubiak also acknowledged that the NFL does not always give you the ideal timeline. Sometimes the rookie plays right away, whether anyone loves it or not.
“At the end of the day, you want to make sure that you’re bringing in an individual, a drafted guy, that is mature enough to handle some adversity,” he said.
When pressed later on whether he would prefer a rookie to sit, Kubiak kept it consistent.
“Ideally, you’d like them to not start from Day 1,” he said. “Sometimes they have to play whether you want it or not, and it’s our job as coaches to get them ready to go.”
The No. 1 pick work: tape first, then board
Kubiak described the draft as a daily collaboration with general manager John Spytek and the scouting staff. He said the bulk of the work still looks like what fans imagine, hours of tape, then hard conversations.
“We’re really spending a lot of time by ourselves watching tape,” Kubiak said. “Then we come together later in the day and talk about what we see, starting to put our board together.”
Kubiak also said pro days still matter, even when the film work is already deep. For quarterbacks, he said he wants to see how a player throws live, how he interacts with teammates and how he carries himself when the spotlight tightens.
A surprise from the current roster: Tre Tucker
Kubiak has spent the early months digging into the Raiders’ roster. When asked what stood out, he did not name a star.
He named Tre Tucker.
“One guy that sticks out is watching Tre Tucker play football,” Kubiak said. He praised Tucker’s play style and called him a strong teammate. Kubiak also pointed to the offseason workout group already in place, calling it a sign that parts of the culture are already in the building.
Brady, Dennison, and building the staff around the job
Kubiak said his relationship with Tom Brady continues to grow. He described steady communication and said he wants the feedback honest, not polite.
“He is extremely supportive, giving great advice,” Kubiak said. “I’d rather it be that way than not.”
Kubiak also praised offensive line coach Rick Dennison, calling him one of the best teachers of the outside zone scheme. He credited Dennison’s experience and said he has learned from him for years.
What Raider Nation should take from it
Kubiak did not promise instant results. He did not sell a fairy tale.
Instead, he kept returning to the same themes: leadership at center, elite effort from the best players, a quarterback plan grounded in maturity, and a draft process built on tape and trust.
For a fan base that has heard enough speeches, Kubiak’s message landed where it needed to.
Build it right, and make it show up on Sundays.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
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