There was no hotter assistant coach in the NFL through the first half of this season than Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Kingsbury helped rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels take the NFL by storm, while Washington’s offense looked unbeatable.
That immediately led to questions about whether Kingsbury would return to Washington in 2025 or receive a second chance to become an NFL head coach. Kingsbury was Arizona’s head coach from 2019 to 22 but was fired after finishing with a 28-37-1 record.
Unfortunately for Washington, the offense struggled at times during a three-game losing streak. This immediately led to talk about the “Kliff Cliff.” The “Kliff Cliff” is supposedly where Kingsbury’s offenses struggle during the second half of the season. However, the research fails to provide proper context for these struggles, such as poor defensive play, college scheduling, and injuries.
Kingsbury and head coach Dan Quinn dismissed the notion. Former NFL MVP Matt Ryan was adamant that the so-called “Kliff Cliff” was not real.
So, despite Washington’s recent struggles — the Commanders did get back on track with almost 500 yards of offense in a 42-19 win over Tennessee last week — is Kingsbury still a viable head coaching candidate in 2025?
Dan Graziano of ESPN recently ranked the top 10 coaching candidates for the 2025 carousel. Graziano ranked Kingsbury No. 9. Ben Johnson, Mike Vrabel and Bill Belichick topped the list.
The Bears have an opening. Kingsbury has a good relationship with their rookie quarterback, Caleb Williams. Could Chicago target Kingsbury as Matt Eberflus’ replacement? Don’t bet on it. There’s no way the Bears will allow Williams, who has struggled this season, to pick the next head coach. Also, Chicago interviewed Kingsbury to be the offensive coordinator last offseason and went with Shane Waldron, who was fired weeks ago.
So, yes, Kingsbury is a head coaching candidate, but it’s hard to see a more perfect match than Chicago, and that seems unlikely.
Also, what if Kingsbury wants to stay in Washington for a while and continue working with Daniels? That could help bolster his candidacy in future seasons.
It remains to be seen how many coaching vacancies there will be in 2025. The more that open, the better Kingsbury’s chances. As of now, he doesn’t appear to be at the top of anyone’s list. But remember, it only takes one team.