Tag: Kliff Kingsbury

NFL: Tracking head coach, coordinator and GM firings for 2023

Here’s a running list of who’s been fired during the season and in its immediate aftermath.

Yesterday was Black Monday in the NFL and it didn’t disappoint as several head coaches were given the boot. A couple coordinators and one GM have also left their positions.

Here’s a running list of who has been fired during the season and in its immediate aftermath.

Report: Saints expect to hear from Cardinals about Sean Payton

Report: Saints expect to hear from Cardinals about a potential Sean Payton trade

We’ll file this one under “as expected.” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported that the New Orleans Saints are expecting a call from the Arizona Cardinals concerning former head coach Sean Payton, which came in shortly before the Cardinals dismissed fourth-year head coach Kliff Kingsbury.

Now that Kingsbury has been shown the door (along with longtime general manager Steve Keim), the Cardinals look like one of the more-attractive job opportunities around the league. Payton would have the option to bring an executive like Jeff Ireland or Khai Harley with him from New Orleans to the desert, where he would be coaching an established quarterback in Khai Harley. Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell is known as a hands-off type, so Payton would probably have the same level of autonomy he’s enjoyed with the Saints.

What’s less clear is what Arizona may be willing to trade for Payton. They own the third overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft but almost certainly won’t put it on the table. The Cardinals also have the third pick in rounds two (No. 34) and three (No. 66), and they’re getting a couple of compensatory draft picks back for losing wide receiver Christian Kirk and pass rusher Chandler Jones. They could also dip into their 2024 draft picks to make a competitive offer.

We’ll see if the Cardinals do end up making that call or whether the Saints are left waiting by the phone. That’s just the start of a long process in interviewing Payton and selling him on what they have to offer. This is going to take some time to resolve.

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Could Kliff Kingsbury join Rams’ staff if Sean McVay stays?

If Sean McVay stays with the Rams, could Kliff Kingsbury join him in LA?

There will be at least one new head coach in the NFC West, and that’s before finding out what path Sean McVay will choose. On Monday, the Cardinals fired Kliff Kingsbury after a 4-13 season, parting ways with the coach less than a year after signing him to a multi-year extension.

McVay could be the second coach to exit the NFC West if he decides to retire, but what if he stays and keeps Kingsbury in the division? That’s one possibility, according to FOX Sports’ Bruce Feldman.

Feldman has heard in coaching circles that if McVay stays with the Rams, Kingsbury may head to Los Angeles and join McVay’s staff. Feldman didn’t specify what job Kingsbury would have, but with Liam Coen potentially leaving the Rams for Kentucky, there could be an opening at offensive coordinator.

Kingsbury joining the Rams as an assistant isn’t as crazy as it sounds. In 2018, McVay reached out to Kingsbury about joining his staff in Los Angeles after he was fired by Texas Tech. It never came to fruition, but Kingsbury said he was “close” to joining the Rams that year.

“Close,” Kingsbury said on the Dan Patrick Show four years ago. “I really have a ton of respect for Coach McVay and what he’s done. Great dude who treats people the right way, innovative on offense, high energy. I would’ve loved to see, on a daily basis, how he does things and would’ve tried to contribute anyway I can. But just felt like this was the right spot for me at the right time.”

Kingsbury didn’t have much success with the Cardinals in the last four years. He went 28-37-1 in the regular season and lost his only playoff game, which happened to be against the Rams.

For a coach who’s supposed to be offensive-minded, the Cardinals only finished top 10 in points once during his tenure.

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REPORT: Cardinals fire Kliff Kingsbury after 4-13 season

Kingsbury is fired less than a year after signing an extension keeping him under contract through 2027.

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The Arizona Cardinals have fired head coach Kliff Kingsbury following the team’s 4-13 2022 season, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The speculation about his future is over.

Ten months after signing a contract extension through 2027, Kingsbury is out and the team will begin its search for a new head coach.

The Cardinals ended the season 4-13, losing their final seven games and nine of the final 10.

That came on the heels of an 11-5 season and first-round playoff loss. They ended last season losing four of their final five games, including the playoff game.

Kingsbury took over a Cardinals team in 2018 coming off a 3-13 season. They won five, eight and 11 games before this year’s disaster.

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Arizona Cardinals fire Kliff Kingsbury after 4 seasons

The Arizona Cardinals have fired Kliff Kingsbury

The king of mediocrity is out in Arizona.

Kliff Kingsbury was fired by the Cardinals on Monday after an abysmal season.

Kingsbury was coach of the Cardinals for 4 seasons and finished with a record of 28-37-1.

The Cardinals went 4-13 in 2022 after making the playoffs last season.

How about this for a weak coaching history?

The Cardinals still never have had a head coach — any head coach — last longer than six years while the team has existed for over 100 years.

Kingsbury coached at Texas Tech from 2013-2018. He had two winning seasons in that tenure. going 8-5 in his first season and 7-6 in 2015.

Overall, he was 35-40 as head coach of the Red Raiders.

 

Kliff Kingsbury fired by Cardinals, opening another opportunity for Sean Payton

Kliff Kingsbury has been fired by the Cardinals, opening up another opportunity for Sean Payton. His market is going to heat up:

This is big. The Arizona Cardinals are firing head coach Kliff Kingsbury, which opens up another opportunity for former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton. Arizona has a relatively-healthy salary cap situation and four picks in the 2023 draft’s top three rounds, so they would be able to make moves even after acquiring Payton’s contract in a trade with New Orleans.

Crucially, Arizona owns the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft. That’s a more-valuable bargaining chip than any other team could offer the Saints. But you have to wonder if tightfisted owner Michael Bidwell would consider putting it on the table in addition to a massive contract extension with Payton.

Arizona’s season was sunk by a season-ending knee injury to franchise quarterback Kyler Murray. If Payton is on their radar, the prospect of working with Murray should be enticing. Additionally, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Bidwell will hire a new general manager, too, opting to move on from longtime G.M. Steve Keim after he took a health-related leave of absence. If Payton wants to bring an executive from New Orleans with him like college scouting director Jeff Ireland or football administration director Khai Harley, he’ll likely have that option.

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Kliff Kingsbury scheduled to meet with owner Michael Bidwill

Kingsbury will find out about his future with the team Monday afternoon.

The Arizona Cardinals’ 2022 season came to a close Sunday afternoon with a 38-13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. They finished the year losing seven straight games and ended 4-13.

The future of head coach Kliff Kingsbury is not yet known. A decision will be coming.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported early Monday that Kingsbury was scheduled to have their post-season meeting Monday afternoon.

Kingsbury said he leading up to the finale that all conversations and focus were on the game against the 49ers and that there had been no conversations about his future.

Kingsbury was hired in 2019 after the Cardinals went 3-13. Under his leadership, they won 5, 8 and 11 games and had a postseason trip before this season’s struggles.

He signed a five-year contract extension last offseason.

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What passing game specialists could the Browns, Kevin Stefanski target in 2023?

Jimmy Haslam wants a vertical passing attack and wants to bring someone in who can make that happen. Here are a few potential names.

Multiple NFL insiders have stated that Kevin Stefanski is safe as the Cleveland Browns will bring him back in 2023. However, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones has stated that owner Jimmy Haslam may push for Stefanski to add an air raid specialist to his staff to meld his elite run game with a more explosive passing attack in 2023.

This could mean some turnover at quarterbacks coach as Drew Petzing has been a desired name, and even at offensive coordinator as Alex Van Pelt’s role has never been clearly defined. Here, we seek out a handful of names that Stefanski and the Browns could target to add.

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Kliff Kingsbury looked like he was falling asleep at end of Bucs-Cardinals and fans had jokes

Get some rest, Kliff!

Being an NFL head coach looks like a really hard job with really long hours and if you don’t do well, you can quickly be out of a job. Just look at what happened to Nathaniel Hackett in Denver on Monday.

Kliff Kingsbury has been known to put in long hours on the job, which has to catch up to you at some point. Well, it looked like it did just that late in overtime of their game Sunday night against the Bucs, which they ended up losing at home, 19-16, thanks to Tom Brady.

Check out how tired/sad this fella looked moments before the game-winning kick:

I’m guessing he was tired but also knew that Brady and the Bucs were about to ruin his holiday.

But yeah, he does work long hours:

NFL fans had jokes.

Kliff Kingsbury doesn’t call out players publicly or privately

His desire to avoid confrontation with players doesn’t always work, according to a former Cardinals player.

In four seasons, you will be hard-pressed to find a quote from Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury calling out a player or criticizing him publicly. This is in stark contrast to Bruce Arians, who was head coach from 2013-2017, who often had public criticism of players.

This is a great trait in many ways, as it endears players to him.

However, usually coaches like this also will say what needs to be said behind closed doors.

Kingsbury’s approach with players in front of the team is apparently the same as his public persona.

That might be part of the Cardinals’ on-field issues.

According to an ESPN report from Jeremy Fowler and Josh Weinfuss, Kingsbury avoids confrontation with players and chooses to refer to mistakes generally, according to a former player.

“It’s a very comfortable work environment, but he won’t rip anybody, and if the head coach won’t do it, it’s hard for the offensive guard to do it,” the player said. “I think that’s some of what’s gone on with the QB.” A team source added that Kingsbury’s personality doesn’t lend to calling players out.

The Cardinals have been one of the most-penalized teams over the last two seasons. While players should hold themselves and each other accountable, if the coach isn’t going to call players out, it is hard for teammates to do it.

It is one of many, many things that apparently ail the Cardinals.

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