Silver And Black Pride
Despite regime changes, Rob Leonard remained a constant.
He even got an additional title — run game coordinator — to go along with defensive line coach for the Las Vegas Raiders when the team went from Antonio Pierce to Pete Carroll as head coach. Originally brought in as the defensive line coach under then-head coach Josh McDaniels in 2023, Leonard’s tenure with the Silver & Black is again, up in the air.
The Raiders sacked Carroll shortly after a 3-14 2025 campaign and are engaged in a wide-net search to land another head coach. The list is long, the candidates varied, and Las Vegas is set to have a pair of in-person interviews next week in Miami with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and current Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.
When minority owner Tom Brady and general manager John Spytek make the pivotal decision on who the leading man will be for Las Vegas, expect turnover in the remaining coaching staff. Leonard is one of the incumbents that could stick despite yet another swap at the top spot on the coaching staff.
A high-energy coach that brings enthusiasm to the table, Leonard’s optimism, energy, and dedication to football are traits that make him a player’s coach. Despite entering the NFL coaching game in 2013 with the New York Giants, Leonard has no ego during his 13-year stint.
Combine the energy and positivity with the lack of arrogance and it’s easy to see why players under Leonard’s charge flock to him. From defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and other coaches, to Raiders like Maxx Crosby, all speak highly of Leonard’s ability and command in the defensive room, highlighting his ability to build and maintain a culture.
While positivity is his calling card, Leonard doesn’t hold any of his defenders above reproach. By using game film to showcase both highlights and lowlights as teach tape, that style of teaching aligned with Graham. In his initial season as the defensive run game coordinator along with his defensive line boss duties Leonard helped the Raiders earn the distinction of the 17th-ranked unit in terms of rushing yards allowed (1,986). That’s one less yard than the team allowed in 2024 where the group was ranked 13th in ground yards yielded.
As mentioned earlier, Leonard entered the NFL ranks as a defensive assistant for Tom Coughlin’s Giants in 2013. He elevated to assistant defensive line and linebackers coach his final two seasons of his six-year stay in New York then moved on to the Miami Dolphins for three seasons where he served as linebackers coach, assistant defensive line coach, then outside linebackers coach. That’s a position he held with the Baltimore Ravens in 2022 before joining the Raiders the following season as defensive line boss.
Crosby remains a consistent havoc creator on the defensive line with a team-leading 10 sacks to go along with 28 tackles for loss and 20 quarterback hits in 15 games...
