Clayster coaching Vegas Falcons is the perfect job for the Call of Duty legend
Vegas FalconsOn November 14, less than a month before the 2025 Call of Duty League season kicks off, Vegas Falcons announced that they would be bringing COD veteran James ‘Clayster’ Eubanks into their coaching staff. And for the three-time world champion, it might just be the perfect first move in his post-playing career.
Clayster officially retired from competing on October 23 is one of the most celebrated and decorated COD players in history, up there with the likes of Ian ‘Crimsix’ Porter and Seth ‘Scump’ Abner.
There was much speculation over what Clay would do following his retirement. He has been a desk analyst in recent years at events he failed to qualify for, and always looked a natural alongside the more seasoned talent, so many assumed he would go in that direction.
Others believed he could go down the content route, while some correctly guessed that he could try to find a coaching role – though not many would have guessed he would end up with Falcons, the new kids on the block.
Falcons announced they would be taking the Vegas Legion CDL spot after the 2024 season ended, and also revealed that they would be bringing their Saudi Arabia-based Challengers roster with them – sticking by the team that made strides in amateur European competition last year.
While some have questioned Clay’s decision to join this team, already predicted to be a top 12 team with a low ceiling, it is actually the perfect job if he is serious about becoming a great coach, for a number of reasons.
The only way is up
Firstly, while we don’t want to write off any teams before a map has even been played, it is very likely that Falcons are the worst team in the league. This is no disrespect to them: they will be aware of the narrative surrounding them and know they’re going up against players who have been in the league for years.
But this works perfectly for Clay as he now has a great foundation to build on. A team of four players about to embark on their dream together and already have great chemistry – he just has to impart his more than a decade’s worth of wisdom on them, and the only way is up.
He can mold them specifically into the players they need to be and completely change their trajectory in the league.
If he can help them work their way up the rankings, Clayster immediately becomes one of the most in-demand and respected coaches in Call of Duty, and given the modest expectations, the pressure to perform is far lower than if he joined someone like world champions OpTic Texas or Atlanta FaZe.
Call of Duty LeagueClay’s way
Secondly, and perhaps by extension of the previous point, this allows Clay to find his style as a coach, something that he will have to refine over time and figure out what works and what doesn’t.
Better yet, because of the team’s situation, it’s a greater challenge than if he had just started coaching a team of winners with players he already had great relationships with.
In a Twitch stream after the announcement, Clay said: “Being able to work with some guys who maybe don’t know me so well but still have some respect for me being as accomplished as I am in COD, I think it’ll be a little easier to coach them. They’ll listen to what I say more. But, I have to be more careful with what I say. I need to make sure I’m not just spewing. I need to make sure that when I talk I actually am correct in what I’m saying.”
He added that he has “basically coached all his teams” over the last couple of years anyway just while playing, but this obviously presents a new challenge and exactly the kind he was looking for.
While there will be naysayers and critics who believe Clay has made a woeful choice here, if you simply take a look at the context and the opportunity that this presents, you’ll realize that this might actually be the perfect next step for Clay.
Now, only time will tell whether he can become one of the (very few) great coaches in Call of Duty.