The Las Vegas Raiders are turning over a new leaf. However, former Raiders Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham deserves recognition.
As the Las Vegas Raiders know all too well, it is tough to find solid coaches around the National Football League. As the Raiders officially begin to turn the page to yet another coaching staff, former Raiders Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham's contribution cannot be overlooked.
often turned to Graham's defenses to help get them out of bad situations. This was especially the case, as Las Vegas' offenses routinely struggled to do much of anything over the past three seasons. The ineptitude of the Raiders' offense negatively impacted Grahams' defenses weekly.' offense has not just been bad, it has been among the worst in the league in many regards. The Raiders have tried and failed for years to play complimentary football. However, most of the time, Graham's defenses did enough to warrant either a win or a much closer Raiders' loss. Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images CBS Sports recently ranked the Pittsburgh Steelers' decision to hire Graham as their next defensive coordinator, giving them a B+ grade. This puts into perspective how Graham is viewed around the NFL and makes it clear that many realize the Raiders' defensive struggles this season were above Graham. "During his second year with the Raiders in 2023, Graham helped the unit go from 26th to ninth in the NFL in points allowed. This past season, Las Vegas ranked 10th in the league in passing touchdowns allowed and fourth in average yards per carry allowed," CBS Sports Jan 4, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek reacts during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Graham's defenses struggled aside from the offense's troubles. Yet, there is a reason Graham survived three different Raiders regimes. Every time the Raiders fired a coach over the past three offseasons, Graham remained. That alone should speak volumes. Still, Graham never shied away from accountability. He never pointed the finger at the offense's struggles or the fact that he routinely had one of the lowest-paid defenses in the National Football League. Graham made the best out of a situation he was given subpar tools to work with. Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images "The biggest thing for me, my job is, again, to get these guys prepared. Whether it's the schematics, whether it's the fundamentals, laying out a plan and a routine for the assistant coaches to make sure that we're working on what we need to work on. So that's part of my job description,” Graham said. “I have to do that. And then having those guys ready to go both mentally, physically, and emotionally, using my past experience and just what I know about them to get them prepared. And then from there, then we get to the game, I got to put them in the best spot to be successful. Jan 4, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll walks off the field after the Raiders defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 14-12 at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images So, whether it's by unit going out there, or situationally, having the right call things that nature, and then when you have a season like it's gone so far, I point the finger to me, first and foremost, obviously I haven't done a good enough job." While admirable, personally, I disagree with Graham. Considering all that went on with the Raiders during his time with the team, Graham did a solid job. Some things could have been better but, it is hard to imagine he could have done much more than he did in Las Vegas, given the Raiders' roster.Have every Raiders story straight to your email with the latest news. Our newsletter is completely FREE. We will not spam you or sell your information.
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