The Las Vegas Raiders are searching for their fourth head coach in as many seasons. Tom Brady will be involved in the process for the second straight year. And even though it’s been weeks since the Raiders moved on from Pete Carroll after just one season, there’s still no clear frontrunner to take over. But now, a familiar voice has entered the conversation. Former Raiders guard Richie Incognito wants Brady and the front office to seriously consider one specific name.

“The Raiders need to take a serious look at Sean McDermott. Proven leader. Consistent winner. Culture builder. That’s the kind of stability Vegas needs,” Incognito shared on his ‘X’ handle.

And Incognito’s take isn’t coming out of nowhere. He’s played for both the Raiders and the Buffalo Bills, spending the 2017 season under Sean McDermott in Buffalo. Having experienced both organizations firsthand, his endorsement carries some weight. That context matters, especially given what just happened in Buffalo. Following yet another postseason disappointment and another failed Super Bowl push, the Bills parted ways with McDermott earlier this week.

The decision came just days after their 33–30 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round. Almost immediately, McDermott’s name began circulating in head-coaching rumors. And the Raiders happen to be among the teams being mentioned, with Incognito openly pushing the idea. And it’s not hard to see why.

McDermott wasn’t a bad head coach by any stretch. While Buffalo ultimately moved on due to a shaky postseason résumé and no Super Bowl appearances across nine seasons, his ability to build a program is undeniable. He ended the Bills’ long playoff drought, led the team to a 98–50 regular-season record, and played a major role in developing Josh Allen into the face of the franchise.

That résumé alone explains why Las Vegas, armed with a high draft pick and searching for direction, would be intrigued. But whether McDermott would feel the same way is another question entirely. After turning Buffalo into a perennial contender with multiple division titles and playoff runs, stepping into a full-scale rebuild isn’t an obvious next move.

That skepticism is shared by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

“If we talk about where could Sean McDermott potentially land next, it doesn’t make a ton of sense for him to go into a total rebuild,” the analyst said. “He’s 51 years old. He’s been there every year, been in the playoffs, every season here in recent years. I don’t really see him [saying], ‘I’m gonna go to Arizona, or I’m gonna go to Las Vegas.'”

Pelissero went on to suggest that McDermott would be more likely to gravitate toward stable situations like the Pittsburgh Steelers or Baltimore Ravens, rather than a reset-heavy job in Vegas. So while Brady and the Raiders’ front office have been publicly urged to look at McDermott, nothing feels imminent. The search remains wide open. What does seem clear, though, is that Las Vegas is aiming big and keeping a close eye on finding its next franchise quarterback along the way.

Fernando Mendoza showed what Tom Brady and the Raiders are looking for

A disastrous 3–14 regular season has landed the Raiders the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. And at this point, it’s not hard to connect the dots. The Raiders are clearly hunting for a franchise quarterback. In that search, one name has started to separate itself: Fernando Mendoza. That’s exactly why Tom Brady and the Raiders are paying close attention to the 22-year-old.

On Monday, Mendoza delivered on the biggest stage, leading the Indiana Hoosiers to their first national title with a 27–21 win over the Miami Hurricanes. Brady and Raiders owner Mark Davis were both reportedly in attendance at Hard Rock Stadium, watching Mendoza make history. And to his credit, the Heisman Trophy winner didn’t shrink under the moment.

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Mendoza finished the game with 16-of-27 for 186 yards. He didn’t throw a passing touchdown, but the defining play came with the game on the line. Facing a fourth-and-four in the fourth quarter, Mendoza delivered a clutch rushing touchdown that swung momentum entirely. Indiana had converted just 50 percent of its fourth-down attempts during the season, but head coach Curt Cignetti trusted his quarterback.

Mendoza ran his first draw play of the game, picked up the first down, and powered into the end zone on a 12-yard run with just over nine minutes remaining. That play ultimately sealed Indiana’s first national championship.

Now, all eyes shift to April. The Raiders are widely expected to use the No. 1 overall pick on the Heisman Trophy winner. The reporting points that way. Brady’s and Davis’ presence says plenty. Mendoza’s performance has backed it up. At this point, it’s less about speculation and more about waiting to see if Las Vegas makes it official.