Seattle Seahawks fans can rejoice forever about the team winning Super Bowl 60, but the reality of the business of football will settle in soon. Seattle won, but now the off-field losses could begin piling up. This isn't meant to diminish the victory, only to know life will temper the excitement.
One of the losses every fan knows is coming is that offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is going to take the head coaching position with the Las Vegas Raiders. This was known for about a week before the Super Bowl, and presumed for even longer. The Seahawks will have to replace him soon, as many of the best OC options have been hired elsewhere.
Kubiak left no doubt about what he planned to do next in his career immediately after the win. Speaking with the NFL Network's Stacey Dales on the field, the offensive coordinator was asked about leaving Seattle. After first dismissing the question to say he was looking forward to celebrating the victory, he said, "You guys know I'm going to Las Vegas."
Klint Kubiak makes clear what he will be doing next after the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl victory
After Dales asked a question to confirm the move, Kubiak answered succinctly, "Hell yeah, I'm going."
Kubiak will have spent just one season with the Seahawks, but clearly, it was a highly successful one. He helped turn around an offense that was previously only explosive at times and made the unit much more efficient. He also did it with some players that no one expected to be that good together.
The team traded quarterback Geno Smith and wide receiver DK Metcalf, and replaced them with Sam Darnold and Cooper Kupp, respectively. Smith went to the Raiders (and, ironically, is currently presumed to be Kubiak's QB1 with his new team), and was expected to be productive. Instead, he threw far too many interceptions and was rather terrible behind a bad offensive line.
No one could be too sure how good Sam Darnold would be. He was excellent for most of 2024, but that was his first very good season in his career. Kubiak made sure Darnold wouldn't fail in Seattle, and the quarterback had a good season and a fantastic postseason.
The offensive coordinator was able to find a way to limit the quarterback's turnovers, at least at the most crucial times. In the playoffs, Darnold didn't have a single turnover.
Meanwhile, Kubiak was able to keep mixing the run with the pass even when one wasn't working as well as the other. His play-calling kept opponents off balance just enough to allow Seattle to set a franchise record for most points scored.
As for Klint Kubiak, he will no longer be a part of the Seattle Seahawks. He made clear he was leaving for the Las Vegas Raiders. Hopefully, he will do well, but also hopefully, Seattle will be able to find a worthy replacement for their outgoing OC.