Andrew Janocko stood at the podium on May 28, fresh off the Raiders’ offseason training session, wearing a T-shirt that read “Listen to your feet.” It’s a mantra he’s carried for years, one that now defines his approach as Las Vegas’ new offensive coordinator under head coach Klint Kubiak.
Janocko, 38, followed Kubiak from the Super Bowl champion Seahawks, eager for his first shot at calling an NFL offense. The two have worked together in Minnesota, New Orleans and Seattle, building a rapport that goes beyond X’s and O’s. “Bringing the shield back and then getting to work with unbelievable people,” Janocko said. “That’s something in this business that really goes underrated is when you can work with good people. It makes the job, the stresses of the job, the good parts even better and the bad parts, you want to fight through those things with the people that you’re around.”
Kubiak will handle play-calling, but Janocko is tasked with shaping the offense day-to-day. He’s drawing from decades of mentors while injecting his own ideas. The “Listen to your feet” philosophy applies to every position: quarterbacks progressing through footwork, offensive linemen gaining ground on their first step, receivers using their feet to set route depth. “All those things, are we gaining ground on our first step in the wide zone?” Janocko said. “So everything, our building blocks start there.”
The Raiders’ quarterback room features No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, veteran Kirk Cousins and fourth-year pro Aidan O’Connell. Kubiak and general manager John Spytek have said the ideal scenario is a veteran starting while a rookie develops. Janocko praised Mendoza’s work ethic: “He’s a guy that wants to come in and grind every day, work.” He noted Mendoza has already improved working under center, going through progressions and building a mental process in the classroom.
Janocko also has dynamic weapons in tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty. “Just finding ways to maximize how and when they touch the ball, finding ways to get them open, and then maximizing any time they have the ball in their hands,” he said.
Minority owner Tom Brady visited practice Thursday, offering Janocko another resource. “He has been very open, somebody that we can pick up the phone and call,” Janocko said. “He’s the greatest of all time, so getting to be around him every day and any knowledge that you can pick up from him, just a great resource to have.”
Janocko wanted this opportunity, wanted to follow Kubiak to Las Vegas. Now he’s listening to his feet, building an offense from the ground up.
