Klint Kubiak’s personality bigger than advertised
The Raiders are off to their best start to a season since 2021, and many would say the no. 1 reason the organization is back on track is head coach Klint Kubiak.
Kubiak has rejuvenated more than just the offense in Las Vegas, and the coach some believed didn’t have a big enough personality to be an NFL head coach has turned out to be exactly what the Raiders needed.
Usually calculated and guarded with his words, Kubiak let his personality come out at halftime of Sunday’s game against the Chiefs, and the more we get to know Kubiak, the more it becomes clear he isn’t always the robotic personality we see in press conferences.
Kubiak is a complex character, known for his extreme preparation and attention to detail, but he is also an intense competitor who has scribbles all over his playsheet next to a cryptic acronym that may or may not have anything to do with football.
On Sunday, the CBS broadcast zoomed in on Kubiak’s playsheet enough to see the first-year head coach had scribbled out a huge section on the back of his sheet and wrote “AMDG” next to the cluster of black lines.
‘AMDG’ a Latin phrase rooted in Christian history
Kubiak hasn’t been asked about what he wrote on his playsheet (or the mass of scribbles), but the term ‘AMDG’ often stands for the Latin phrase Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, which translates to “For the greater glory of God.”
Maybe Kubiak will be asked about the message at some point, but it’s no secret that his faith is at the center of his life.
Last month, Ashton Jeanty talked with Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter about the ankle injury he suffered in August and Jeanty he knew he was going to be alright when he saw the response of his head coach and teammates.
“It meant a lot, of course,” Jeanty said of his coaches and teammates taking a knee and praying for him.
“You know, Kubiak leading that, really being firm in his faith and getting everybody to get down and say a prayer. But also as a team just growing together in our faith. I think it’s a great thing to be able to share that with each other and the power of prayer is amazing. So in that moment, hearing that, seeing that, I already knew I was going to be good because God’s got me.”
Raiders HC bought Bibles for players and coaches in Seattle
Prior to being hired by the Raiders, Sports Spectrum’s Jason Romano said he was told Kubiak bought Bibles for every Seahawks player and coach toward the end of the 2025 season.
Kubiak acknowledged the gesture during Super Bowl week and explained how he came to the decision to give everyone Bibles.
“Because that’s the most important thing,” Kubiak told Romano. “I don’t know who told you that, but totally you’re in trouble right now. But you’re trying to find Christmas gifts for guys every year to show them that you love them, and what better gift than that?”
Later, Seattle assistant head coach Leslie Frazier talked about Kubiak’s gift and said it meant a lot to everyone in the locker room.
“You talking about touching people across our team? That is so unique and so rare,” Frazier told Romano.
“It meant a lot. It meant a lot to everybody in our building, just that he would do that. His whole point of it was he wanted everybody to be able to find out what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. This is the starting point, having a Bible. No one should walk away from this building without having a Bible.”