The Las Vegas Raiders are in an unique situation where they will be hiring a new head coach and have the No. 1 pick in 2026. Let’s look at the recent history of teams have have been in that situation.
2022
Jacksonville Jaguars, Doug Pederson, Travon Walker
Pederson was hired to help salvage Trevor Lawrence. He had limited success there and Walker is a good, not elite player.
2021
Jacksonville Jaguars, Urban Meyer, Trevor Lawrence
Meyer was an all-time terrible coach and he went one-and-done in Jacksonville. Lawrence is finally hitting his potential with Liam Coen, his third head coach in five NFL seasons.
2019
Arizona Cardinals, Kliff Kingsbury, Kyler Murray
There was a lot of excitement here as Kingsbury was considered a top offensive mind and Murray as the top quarterback. It didn’t work. Kingsbury went 28-37-1 in four seasons and Murray is likely going to be playing elsewhere in 2026.
2014
Houston Texans, Bill O’Brien, Javedeon Clowney
Clowney was widely considered the top prospect and he ended up being good not great in a long career. O’Brien lasted seven seasons and and went to the playoffs four times in Houston. There were worse combinations that these two on this list.
2013
Kansas City Chiefs, Andy Reid, Eric Fisher
Well, the Chiefs got half of this combo right. The 2013 draft was considered extremely weak. Fisher was just a tad above average. He made the Pro Bowl twice in eight seoans for the Chiefs. Reid, of course, was the big prize. He led the Chiefs to nine straight AFC West championships, three Super Bowl titles and he’s still going.
2012
Indianapolis Colts, Chuck Pagano, Andrew Luck
Luck was considered a generational talent and he was. But injuries cut his career short. Pagano spent six seasons as the Colts’ coach. There could have been so much more here.
2011
Carolina Panthers, Ron Rivera, Cam Newton
This was a successful pairing. Newton became an NFL MVP and Rivera won two Coach of the Year awards and they appeared in a Super Bowl in their nine seasons together in Carolina.
2009
Detroit Lions, Jim Schwartz, Matthew Stafford
Stafford was considered a can’t-miss prospect and he has been. He played well on a lot of bad times before being traded from the Lions to the Rams in 2021, where he’s found great sucesss. Schwartz went 29-52 in five seasons as the Lions’ coach.
2008
Miami Dolphins, Tony Sparano, Jake Long
The late Sparano, the Raiders’ interim head coach in 2014, went 29-32 in four season in Miami. He was the NFL coach of the Year in his first season. Long only played for Miami for five season before he signed with the Rams as a free agent in 2013. He did make four Pro Bowls and was once a first-team All-Pro pick in Miami.
2007
Oakland Raiders, Lane Kiffin, JaMarcus Russell.
Let’s just move along shall we? Let’s just say, the Raiders must do better than this pairing this time around. Much better.
