Macdonald and Kubiak Face Familiarity in Seahawks vs. Raiders Matchup

A single season of shared game planning in Seattle now sets the stage for a unique coaching reunion on the road.

The Seattle Seahawks travel to face the Las Vegas Raiders under the direction of former offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who stepped into his new head coaching role following the 2025 season.

Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald reflected on their time together during media availability, pointing to the traits that helped Kubiak secure the top job. Macdonald said that his former assistant consistently kept the team’s needs ahead of individual concerns.

“He was a great team player. I think that mentality is an underrated part of being a head coach like being able to see everything in a 360-degree viewpoint.”

said Macdonald, according to seahawks.com. Macdonald added that Kubiak has a direct communication style that earns the trust of both players and fellow coaches without relying on emotional sugarcoating.

Wide receiver Cooper Kupp echoed that assessment when discussing the foundational traits required to lead an organization. Kupp pointed directly to football intelligence and daily habits.

“The ball knowledge is a paramount thing. Character, how he goes about his day-to-day life with. The work ethic.”

Kupp told seahawks.com.

Kubiak himself has chosen to deflect attention away from facing his former team. Speaking to reporters in Las Vegas, he emphasized preparation over personal narratives.

“The most important thing, like every week, is that you spend a lot of time worrying about you.”

Kubiak said, as reported by seahawks.com. He stressed the need for players to focus on technique, film study, and self-evaluation before factoring in the opponent.

At the same time, Kubiak praised the leadership structure in Seattle under general manager John Schneider and Macdonald, describing the organization as an environment filled with intelligent people who treat personnel correctly.

Macdonald compared the familiarity between the two coaching staffs to an early-season divisional matchup. While both sides understand core tendencies from working together, enough personnel and schematic changes have occurred to require fresh adjustments.

Beyond the sideline familiarity, the matchup introduces a major variable on the field. The Raiders traded veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings earlier in the week, clearing the path for No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza to make his first career start.

Defensive tackle Byron Murphy II acknowledged the difficulty of preparing for an opponent with minimal professional film. Murphy told seahawks.com that the defense must rely on collective execution and communication.

“As a unit, as a defense, especially as a defensive line, we can get after this guy, especially in the passing game.”

Murphy said.

Macdonald emphasized that Seattle’s defensive strategy will focus primarily on team execution rather than attempting to guess how a rookie quarterback will perform in his debut. The coaching staff plans to lean on information gathered during the pre-draft process while making live adjustments as the game unfolds on the field.