The Seattle Seahawks are just two wins away from hoisting the Vince Lombardi trophy again. As such, they can't afford any distractions right now. All the outside noise about offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak needs to stay outside of the building.
Unfortunately for the team and the fan base, the buzz around the 38-year-old assistant coach is becoming almost impossible to ignore. Just like Ben Johnson last year, he's now become one of the most-coveted coaching candidates in this hiring cycle.
Kubiak has been tied to multiple teams throughout the course of the season, and that's not going to change any time soon. According to PFSN's Jack Aaron, he might be the perfect candidate for the Baltimore Ravens' head coaching position.
The Ravens could steal Seattle Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak
"One of the primary reasons former head coach John Harbaugh was dismissed was the team’s inability to maximize the potential of two-time MVP Lamar Jackson," Aaron wrote. "Todd Monken, Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator for three seasons, admitted he 'didn’t coach Lamar well enough'and acknowledged that their relationship was not as strong as it could have been. Jackson’s next relationship with his playcaller will be a major factor in whether he can eventually win a Super Bowl. Kubiak is among the top offensive candidates available after leading the Seahawks offense to the ninth-best mark in PFSN’s Offensive Impact Metric."
The Ravens will do the right thing by making sure their two-time MVP is at the center of their head-coaching decision. They've already conducted interviews with 15 candidates, and while some of them -- such as Robert Saleh and Vance Joseph -- have defensive backgrounds, they've also done extensive work with guys like Kliff Kingsbury and Davis Webb.
Steve Bisciotti's team already requested permission to interview Kubiak. His West Coast offense could help unleash Lamar Jackson's game to a whole new level, and with all the pre-snap motion and trickery, the Ravens' offense could be one of the most proficient in the league.
Kubiak has certainly earned his stripes and the chance to get a team of his own. The Seahawks ranked fifth in yards per play (6.0), seventh in total yards per game (362.3), and third in points per game (28.4).
He's also helped Sam Darnold throw for over 4,000 yards and turn Jaxon Smith-Njigba into a first-team All-Pro-caliber player. Losing him would be a massive blow, especially with several prime candidates to replace him also drawing head coaching buzz around the league.
Still, that's the price to pay for success. This is a copycat league, and it's not unusual to see Super Bowl-caliber teams lose most of their top assistants almost right away. Hopefully, if he does leave, he'll do so with a ring on his finger and another big addition to make to his coaching résumé.