The Denver Broncos won the AFC West this past season for the first time since the 2015 campaign. The 2015 and 2025 seasons did have a lot of similarities, and most fans saw a path to the Super Bowl given the similarities. However, things just did not work out like that for Denver this year, but there is always 2026 and beyond.
The Broncos have an excellent long-term infrastructure in place between ownership, front office performance, quarterback play, coaching, and the overall roster talent. None of the other three AFC West teams can say they have as much stability as the Broncos do, which is great. The most dysfunctional team in the division is clearly the Las Vegas Raiders, and they hit the peak of dysfunction in 2025.
But earlier in February, the Raiders appear to have landed on a new head coach who could actually contribute to the Broncos' road getting a lot tougher in the division for years to come, and he has some ties to the Broncos.
Las Vegas Raiders zeroing in on Klint Kubiak could make life tough for the Denver Broncos
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on February 1st that the Raiders and current Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak intend to work out a deal for Kubiak to become their next head coach, which is actually a bit of bad news for the Broncos.
Kubiak is the son of former Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak, who was Denver's head coach the last time the Broncos won the Super Bowl. Klint Kubiak began his NFL coaching career back in 2013 as an offensive quality control coach for the Minnesota Vikings. He was on the Broncos' coaching staff from 2016-2018 as an offensive assistant.
In recent years, he has served as the offensive coordinator for the Vikings, New Orleans Saints, and now the Seahawks. Not only does Kubiak bring a wealth of offensive experience, but he comes from winning NFL blood and was an extremely-coveted potential head coach this cycle.
Not only is Kubiak a sharp offensive mind with a lengthy track record of success, but he also likely took this job because of who the Raiders are sure to draft in 2026: Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, this year's top quarterback prospect who does profile as a franchise quarterback in the NFL.
All of a sudden, the potential duo of Kubiak and Mendoza on the Raiders finally gives this franchise a foundation for potential success. One huge thing to note here is that the duo of Kubiak and Mendoza could be a fixture for more than a decade, as a huge advantage of an offensive-minded head coach is that the coach himself isn't likely leaving in any capacity, so the chances of sustained offensive continuity are heightened.
The Broncos have a duo like this with Sean Payton and Bo Nix. Well, the potential Raiders duo of Kubiak and Mendoza is one that could make life tough for Denver. Las Vegas also has other talented offensive players like Brock Bowers, a generational talent at tight end, and Ashton Jeanty, someone who could still blossom as an elite RB1 in the league for years to come.
Sure, the Raiders still have to get everything finalized and Kubiak under contract, but the way things are trending may actually make the Broncos' path in the AFC West a little bit tougher going forward.