Tag: Kliff Kingsbury

Former Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury lands with Raiders

Kingsbury will be the new offensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury is back in the NFL. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he is expected to be hired by the Las Vegas Raiders to be their offensive coordinator.

He will work under new head coach Antonio Pierce.

Kingsbury was head coach of the Cardinals from 2019-2022 before getting fired after a 4-13 season. He spend the last year at USC as an offensive consultant and quarterbacks coach.

Kingsbury is known as an offensive genius, although some of his schemes seemed fairly basic when he coached the Cardinals.

This helps the Cardinals some. As he still has four years remaining on his contract with the Cardinals, what he makes with the Raiders will offset what he is scheduled to make from Arizona, so the Cardinals will save money.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Raiders expected to name Kliff Kingsbury offensive coordinator

Kliff Kingsbury was expected to take the Raiders offensive coordinator job until he wasn’t

It looks like the Raiders have their choice for offensive coordinator. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter the Raiders are expected to name USC assistant Kliff Kingsbury their next OC.

Kingsbury is most well known for his “Air Raid” offense, which he ran as head coach at Texas Tech, and leading to Patrick Mahomes becoming a top ten NFL draft pick. That also means Mahomes will face his former head coach twice a year.

Kingsbury took the Cardinals job in in 2019 and spent four years in Arizona, but just once finishing with a winning record (11-6 in 2020). Two of those four year, the Cardinals offense was ranked in the top ten (2020-21).

Though Kingsbury called all the plays in Arizona, this will be the first time in Kinsbury’s career he’s been an offensive coordinator at the NFL level. The last time he commanded the offense alone was his first year at Texas Tech in 2012. Prior to that he was the OC for University of Houston for two seasons.

UPDATE: Schefter is now reporting that Kingsbury has withdrawn his name from consideration for the job.

Kliff Kingsbury interviewed for Eagles OC job

After interviewing with the Chicago Bears, the former Cardinals HC could replace Brian Johnson as the Eagles’ OC after only one season.

Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury has another opportunity to get back into the NFL. After interviewing with the Chicago Bears for their offensive coordinator position, only to have the Bears hire Shane Waldron, who was the OC for the Seattle Seahawks, Kingsbury had another OC interview.

According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Kingsbury had a virtual interview with the Eagles on Tuesday. It would suggest that the Eagles have moved on from Brian Johnson as their OC after only one season. Johnson replaced Shane Steichen, who was hired by the Indianapolis Colts to be their head coach.

Kingsbury, who was the Cardinals’ head coach for four seasons before being fired a year ago, spent the last year as an offensive analyst and quarterbacks coach for USC.

Kingsbury would like to coach again in the NFL.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Eagles interviewed Kliff Kingsbury for vacant offensive coordinator job

Philadelphia Eagles interviewed Kliff Kingsbury for vacant offensive coordinator job

Kliff Kingsbury made an initial list of 10 candidates who would be good fits for the Eagles offensive coordinator position, and the former Arizona Cardinals head coach landed an interview.

Mike Garafalo said the USC offensive coordinator had a virtual job interview with the NFC East squad.

Kingsbury could bring head coaching experience and offensive genius to Sirianni’s staff.

He led the Arizona Cardinals for four years (2019-22) and Texas Tech for six years (2013-18), helping to develop Patrick Mahomes and Kyler Murray at critical points in their careers.

During Murray’s third season in the NFL, the former Sooners star ranked second in completion percentage, seventh in QBR, eighth in passer rating and passing yards per game, and 11th in adjusted net yards per attempt.

The Cardinals were 11-6 that season.

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Peter King: Steelers to interview ex-Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury for OC

Peter King told 93.7 The Fan that the Steelers will interview Kliff Kingsbury.

Mike Tomlin promised the Pittsburgh Steelers would interview outside candidates for their vacant offensive coordinator position. It was announced on Monday that they’ve requested to interview L.A. Rams passing game coordinator Zac Robinson. Today, Peter King told 93.7 The Cook and Joe Show that they’ll also look at Kliff Kingsbury.

A quarterback out of Texas Tech, Kingsbury was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL draft. He never found success and bounced around with various teams before finishing his career in the Canadian Football League.

He was head coach at Texas Tech from 2013 to 2018 before landing the head coaching job with the Arizona Cardinals in 2019. They fired Kingsbury after finishing the 2022 season 4-13. Since then, he’s been in a senior offensive analyst role at USC, where he’s been tasked with helping develop quarterback Caleb Williams, a potential first-overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft.

Some coordinators don’t work as head coaches, and Kingsbury was certainly one of them. But that doesn’t mean he can’t come into Pittsburgh to develop a balanced, high-powered offense and essentially start over with Kenny Pickett.

He’s previously done it with pros like Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray.

“Right now, he’s talked to the Bears, and he’s gonna talk to the Steelers. Interesting places,” King said. “The Bears are a running team. The Steelers are a running team… I’ll tell you this: If he gets one of these jobs, I guarantee you that that team will be a running team.”

During Kingsbury’s four seasons in Arizona, the Cardinals’ offense had an average ranking of 15th in points and 14th in yards.

“The interesting thing, I always tell people this about Kliff Kingsbury, you expect that you’re meeting with a guy who wants to throw the ball 55 times a game,” King said. “First meeting I ever had with him after he got the Cardinals job in training camp that year, he started talking about what a great running team we’re going to be, and we will be a great running team before we’re a great passing team.”

By King’s account, it sounds like he’s exactly what the Pittsburgh Steelers need in an OC.

“A lot of people really respect him, he’s a progressive thinker, he’s really smart. Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan, both those guys have infinite respect for Kingsbury as a play designer, play-caller, and developer of players.”

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7 realistic OC candidates the Eagles can target after parting ways with Brian Johnson

We’re looking at seven realistic candidates who could replace Brian Johnson as Offensive Coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles

After a late-season meltdown that saw the Eagles go 1-6 in their final seven games, including the playoffs, the head coach is on the hot seat, and his assistant coaches are all expected to depart. 

Philadelphia’s third-year head coach has far exceeded expectations, but it’s clear that Johnson Gannon and Shane Steichen played far more significant roles than we thought.

The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane reports that offensive coordinator Brian Johnson, 36, won’t return after one season as the player-caller that saw him oversee the NFL’s No. 8-ranked unit but struggling to get consistent results during a late-season slide that included a blowout playoff loss to the Buccaneers.

Johnson recently interviewed for two different head coaching jobs — with the Falcons and Titans — but is expected to leave the Eagles regardless, per Derrick Gunn, likely landing “elsewhere in some offensive capacity.”

With things starting to heat up, we’re looking at seven realistic options for an offensive coordinator.

Former Bears head coach Dave Wannstedt: Kliff Kingsbury isn’t the right OC fit for Chicago

USC fans will look at Kliff Kingsbury and say he didn’t make a big difference for Caleb Williams in 2023.

Rumors are circulating that the Chicago Bears could hire Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator, presumably to pair with Caleb Williams once they take the USC quarterback with the top pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

Signs are increasingly pointing to the Bears keeping their pick and taking Caleb Williams, as opposed to trading for assets and rebuilding around Justin Fields.

Bears Wire has more on former Chicago head coach Dave Wannstedt saying Kliff Kingsbury would be a bad choice as the offensive coordinator for the team:

“’I like Kliff, he’s a good guy,’ Wannstedt told the Parkins & Spiegel Show on 670 The Score. ‘But that would be the worst mistake (Matt) Eberflus could make. Now, if they’re gonna hire him as quarterbacks coach that might be good if they draft Caleb Williams. That all makes sense.'”

Bears Wire continued:

“If Chicago truly is leaning Williams in the NFL draft — and want to go elsewhere at offensive coordinator — perhaps adding Kingsbury in a quarterbacks coach/pass game coordinator role could be an option.”

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Caleb Williams and Kliff Kingsbury to Chicago? Kingsbury set to interview with the Bears

USC’s coach and quarterback duo could be reunited in Chicago, as Bears are set to interview Kliff Kingsbury for offensive coordinator.

Adam Schefter announced on Friday that USC senior offensive analyst and quarterbacks coach, Kliff Kingsbury, will be interviewing for the offensive coordinator position of the Chicago Bears.

Kingsbury was hired by the Trojans in 2023, where the team went 8-5, and beat Louisville in the Holiday Bowl.

However, USC’s Holiday Bowl win is likely not the reason that the Bears are interested in him. In his one season with the Trojans, Kingsbury was the quarterbacks coach of NFL prospect Caleb Williams.

Williams won the 2023 Heisman Award and is expected to be the first quarterback taken in the NFL Draft this year. Many believe he will go first overall with the pick belonging to the Bears.

The most interesting aspect of the entire situation is the ramifications that it could have on the Bears’ current quarterback, Justin Fields. The Bears have not openly discussed whether they will stick with Fields or draft a new quarterback in April.

Adding Kingsbury to the staff might point to the Bears planning a quick reunion of the Trojans duo.

Did the Bears tip their hand for the No. 1 pick by interviewing surprise coach?

The Chicago Bears might have tipped their hand for the No. 1 pick by interviewing a surprise coach

One of the presumed stories of the NFL draft cycle was going to be placed on the No. 1 overall pick held by the Chicago Bears. Would Chicago stick with their young playmaking quarterback in Justin Fields? Or would they move forward with one of the best young quarterbacks to come out of the draft in years with USC’s Caleb Williams?

On Friday, the Bears are expected to interview former Arizona Cardinals head coach and USC senior offensive analyst Kliff Kingsbury for their offensive coordinator job. This comes out of nowhere and lands as a bit of a surprise given Kingsbury’s track record with the Arizona Cardinals, and really only makes sense should the Bears be heavily favoring drafting the USC stud with the number one overall pick.

Though the possibility of Chicago simply wanting to find a unique coordinator for their current unique quarterback remains, it seems far more likely for them to target Kingsbury for his familiarity in a system that Williams dominated in and the familiarity with the young quarterback in general. While nothing is set in stone it is certainly a proverbial tipping of the hand to make a move like this heading into draft season, and one that could fire off a rapid domino effect for the following two draft selections.

5 realistic offensive coordinator candidates for Patriots to replace Bill O’Brien

Here are five realistic offensive coordinator candidates for the Patriots

With Bill O’Brien reportedly expected to be hired by the Ohio State Buckeyes, the New England Patriots will be looking to fill their now vacant offensive coordinator role on the coaching staff.

The possibility of change with the offensive play-calling was always a possibility with newly-hired Patriots coach Jerod Mayo hiring his own staff. At Wednesday’s introductory press conference, he noted “everything was under consideration,” when asked if he planned on opening an offensive coordinator search.

The Patriots offense has ranked among the worst in football for the last two seasons. So it’s clearly a unit that could use a fresh pair of eyes. Granted, it won’t matter who they hire, if they fail to address the lackluster talent on the roster through free agency and the draft.

There are a plethora of intriguing options out there for the Patriots to help turn things around. Here are five offensive coordinator candidates for New England to replace Bill O’Brien: