Former Chicago Bears quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko, who was with the team in 2022 and 2023 before drafting franchise pillar Caleb Williams, is moving up in the NFL world. In fact, he may be one promotion away from joining professional football's head coach fraternity.
"The Raiders are expected to hire Andrew Janocko as their offensive coordinator, sources tell The Insiders," NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported on Tuesday. "Janocko is close with new coach Klint Kubiak, who brought him to Seattle last year as QBs coach. One week after winning the Super Bowl, they’re together again in Las Vegas."
Janocko received a major narrative assist from his new head coach and boss with the Las Vegas Raiders, offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who was also hired this month, right after a Super Bowl 60 victory with the Seattle Seahawks. Janocko worked with Kubiak for a year in Seattle after a one-year stint with the New Orleans Saints in 2024.
Kubiak let it be known that he'll be working extensively with Janocko in Vegas, collaborating on play-calling. That sets him up to be the hero, just as much as it sets Janocko up to be Kubiak's scapegoat if the multiple-cooks-in-the-kitchen approach doesn't work out.
"I do, but I hope you guys know I've never called the game by myself," Kubiak said. "That's something we do as a coaching staff together. We plan together. We communicate on game day together: quarterback coach, pass game coordinator, and run game coordinator; that is a group effort."
Ex-Bears QBs Coach Andrew Janocko May Become a Top Candidate in 2027 Hiring Cyle
Winning a Super Bowl with the Seahawks a week and change ago is step one for Janocko to become a top coaching candidate for the 2027 hiring cycle. Step two is helping turn the Raiders' offense around in 2026.
With the No. 1 pick, Las Vegas is expected to take Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, who led the Indiana Hoosiers to a dominant 2025/2026 College Football Playoff National Championship run this past season, which should give Janocko the weapon he never had to succeed in The Windy City.
Justin Fields arrived in the league with hype, but hasn't worked out with the Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers, or New York Jets. That's not on Janocko, since Fields' struggles predated his time in Chicago. A clean slate in Sin City will let him prove what he can truly do.
Janocko is so close to being a head coach, which would've been tough to predict when he left the Bears in 2024. Now, Chicago fans will be paying close attention to see how he fares in Las Vegas, and whether a head coaching job is a serious possibility in the near future.