Klint Kubiak wants Raiders players to have 'butterfly feelings' tonight

You hear NFL players and coaches talk a lot about no game meaning more to them than any others or to never get too high or too low. Generally the suggestion is that these guys are machines with a singular focus. Raiders new head coach Klint Kubiak doesn’t see it that way.

Kubiak grew up around the game and understands that these are emotional guys. And often times that what makes them great.

“This is these guys’ jobs, it’s our jobs as coaches, and you should have those butterfly feelings,” said Kubiak. “And if you don’t, sometimes to me, it means you’re not ready. If you’re not nervous about it, if you don’t have a little anxiety, it probably doesn’t mean as much to you. So, I think that’s a good thing to have those feelings.”

There are currently 90 players on the Raiders offseason roster. A third of whom are rookies or first year players. And only 53 of the players can make the regular season roster. Perhaps fewer than that of this current group considering they will also be scanning other teams cuts.

So, naturally the majority of these players know they are playing for their NFL lives out there. Every rep, every snap counts. A big play in the preseason could be what lands them on a roster, whether it be with the Raiders or another team. While a lapse could mean being unemployed come September. That’s a lot of pressure.

Stepping up and outplaying the competition requires more than just talent. A little adrenaline goes a long way. The winner is the guy who wants it more.

This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Klint Kubiak wants Raiders players to have ‘butterfly feelings’ tonight