Kliff Kingsbury set to become the Washington Commanders’ Offensive Coordinator
LANDOVER, Md. (PSF) — New Commanders Head-Coach Dan Quinn has found his Offensive Coordinator.
After reports that former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury was going to become the Las Vegas Raiders’ Offensive Coordinator, the deal reportedly fell through, and after an interview with the Commanders, he is set to become their new offensive leader:
Kingsbury last coached in the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals, where his firing and exit became well-known, as he took a break from coaching for some time.
As the head coach of the Cardinals, he finished 28-37-1. He earned a 6-year extension after the 2021 season, where he led the Cardinals to an 11-6 record and clinched the NFC West Title. However, his tenure also included a disastrous 4-13 record in 2022, a season that became lost after quarterback Kyler Murray tore his ACL.
He returned to coaching in 2023, joining Southern California head coach Lincoln Riley’s staff as a senior offensive analyst and quarterbacks coach. Working closely with projected top 3 pick Caleb Williams, Kingsbury played a large role in USC’s wildly successful offense which ranked 10th nationally in yards per game (467.6), 4th nationally in offensive touchdowns (70), 4th nationally in passing yards (4329), 5th nationally in passing touchdowns (37), and a stellar season from the previously-mentioned Caleb Williams.
Known for running the “air-raid” offense, with a plethora of deep shots and a high-volume passing attack, the Cardinals fostered a top-10 offense in 2021 in terms of points per game (25.6) during Kingsbury’s best season as Head Coach of the Cardinals. With weapons such as Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and potentially another high-pick in the draft or an addition from the strong 2024 Wide Receiver free agency class, Kingsbury should have a handful of strong offensive weapons to work with in D.C.
Interestingly, this could entail a potential Kingsbury and Caleb Williams reunion, as the Commanders hold the number 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and are coming off a disappointing season from Quarterback Sam Howell in which he threw 21 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. With a new regime in place, there is no commitment to Howell anymore, and with the number two pick and a team in front of them that may pass on a quarterback, Caleb Williams could fall into their lap as the quarterback of the future.
Williams had a fantastic season under Kingsbury’s tutelage while enduring having one of the worst defenses in College Football playing the other half of his games. Although Washington’s defense was disappointing last year, they still have decent talent in that unit and are adding one of the league’s premier defensive minds: Dan Quinn. With a familiar play-caller and coaching presence, and Williams’s success working with Kingsbury, a reunion could be in store for them in Washington next year.
