With Tom Brady involved, Brian Flores emerges as a strong candidate to lead the Raiders, bringing Super Bowl pedigree and a potential offensive coordinator pairing.
Once again, the Las Vegas Raiders are holding interviews for a new head coach. Pete Carroll lasted just one season, and what a disaster it was in 2025 for the Raiders.
This time, they have Tom Brady helping with the process, but the patience is running thing in :as Vegas after another disappointing season.
There are plenty of names linked to the opening, and having the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft definitely helps the next head coach, whoever it may be.
Ben Arthur of Fox Sports had predictions for all nine head coach openings, and he predicted that the Raiders would hire Brian Flores, who most recently worked as the Minnesota Vikings' defensive coordinator.
"The Vikings defensive coordinator has a connection with Raiders minority owner Tom Brady as they spent nine years together with the Patriots (2010-18), winning three Super Bowls. During his stint as Dolphins head coach, Flores had trouble dealing with Tua Tagovailoa, but that experience should make him better at navigating the quarterback position in Las Vegas. The Raiders are expected to take Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner, with the No. 1 overall pick. "
Flores has experience and went 24-25 in three seasons as the Miami Dolphins head coach. He then spent a year as an assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers before becoming the Vikings DC.
This aligns with a theory that surfaced earlier that Flores could be head coach with recently-fired Giants coach Brian Daboll coming to Las Vegas as the offensive coordinator.
"As the chatter goes, Flores would be the head coach, and former Giants coach Brian Daboll would be the offensive coordinator. Like Flores, Daboll has extensive experience with the Patriot Way. Daboll was there for the first three Super Bowl wins of the Brady/Belichick era, and for two of the second trio of championships," Mike Florio wrote in January.
The Raiders tried, and failed, with Carroll, although that was a disaster to begin with, especially after Chip Kelly was hired as the OC.
Flores' time in Miami was up and down, but nonetheless, he is receiving interest again in the head coach circles, so if it isn't the Raiders, it seems to be a matter of time before he lands a job.
The Raiders will almost certainly select Indiana Hoosiers star QB Fernando Mendoza with the top pick, so finding a coach who can work with Mendoza and turn things around makes this a very important decision for Las Vegas.