Previously a Raiders assistant from 2012-21, Nick Holz is returning to the team to work for rookie head coach Klint Kubiak. Holz will serve as the Raiders’ offensive pass-game coordinator, the club announced.
When Holz’s initial Raiders stint ended, he stayed in Las Vegas as UNLV’s offensive coordinator in 2022. He returned to the NFL a year later as the Jaguars’ pass-game coordinator.
With Holz’s assistance, the Jaguars boasted the league’s 10th-ranked aerial attack in 2023. Then in his second season, quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for a personal-best 4,113 yards to earn the lone Pro Bowl nod of his career. Lawrence’s go-to targets – Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Evan Engram – combined for 239 catches, 2,697 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Holz parlayed his success with Jacksonville into the Titans’ offensive coordinator position in 2024. It was a non-play-calling gig for Holz, who took a backseat to Brian Callahan in his first year as the Titans’ head coach. Callahan retained those responsibilities heading into 2025, No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward‘s rookie year, but the Titans fired him in the wake of a 1-5 start.
Even after Callahan’s ouster, the Titans still did not elevate Holz to play-calling duties. Rather, quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree filled in for the rest of the year. The Titans went on to rank 30th in total offense and 31st in scoring. New head coach Robert Saleh, who grabbed the reins Jan. 22, did not retain either Holz or Hardegree.
In his return to Las Vegas, the 41-year-old Holz should have an opportunity to coach a third consecutive first overall pick at quarterback. After mixed results with Lawrence and Ward, he is likely to have a hand in Fernando Mendoza‘s development. The Raiders are considered locks to draft the Indiana Heisman Trophy winner and national champion with the top choice this spring.
To make life easier on Holz and Mendoza, the Raiders figure to upgrade their pass-catching group around star tight end Brock Bowers this offseason. Bowers missed five games with knee problems in 2025, preventing him from properly following up on a dazzling rookie year. Between Bowers’ injury issues and a November trade that sent wideout Jakobi Meyers to the Jags, no Raider reached 700 receiving yards last season.