The Washington Commanders are looking for an offensive coordinator following the hire of head coach Dan Quinn. UCLA head coach Chip Kelly is eyeing a return to the NFL and has emerged as a candidate for the Commanders OC job. Another college offensive-mind with NFL head coach experience has surfaced in Washington’s search.
Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury agreed to become the offensive coordinator of the Las Vegas Raiders under Antonio Pierce. However, contract talks broke down, as Kingsbury has become a candidate for other teams.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Kingsbury recently interviewed with the Commanders. While the Commanders still have more interviews, Kingsbury is considered a “strong” candidate.
The creative Kingsbury has been the offensive coordinator in college with Houston and Texas A&M before becoming head coach at Texas Tech. He parlayed that into being the Cardinals head coach for four seasons. Kingsbury compiled a 28-37-1 record before getting fired following the 2022 season.
He returned to college in 2023 as a senior offensive analyst at USC under head coach Lincoln Riley.
Could Kliff Kingsbury lead to Caleb Williams being in a Commanders uniform?
Kingsbury’s interest will draw speculation about Caleb Williams. The USC QB projects to be the first overall pick in April’s NFL Draft. The Commanders possess the No. 2 overall pick and need a quarterback to reset the team’s objective.
Williams is a D.C. native, and rumors have suggested he would prefer to play for his hometown team over the Chicago Bears, who hold the first pick. Whether true or not, Kingsbury’s interest in Washington will surely link Williams to the Commanders going into the draft.
It’s no secret the Dan Quinn hire is less appealing for Commanders fans than some of the other prominent candidates. However, Quinn can regain some of the fans’ optimism if he hits with his offensive coordinator.
Kliff Kingsbury could check the right boxes for Washington and whichever young quarterback is on the roster. Money may have been the biggest reason for Kingsbury backing out of the Raiders. However, getting the opportunity to groom either Caleb Williams, North Carlina quarterback Drake Maye or LSU Jayden Daniels sounds more exciting.
