Tag: Kliff Kingsbury

Feb 5, 2024; Ashburn, VA, USA; Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn (L) smiles as Commanders general manager Adam Peters (R) speaks during Quinn's introductory press conference at Commanders Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

New Commanders GM Adam Peters: Interviews key to QB search

Posted on | by Field Level Media

INDIANAPOLIS — The first question new Commanders general manager Adam Peters was asked Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine was about Brock Purdy.

Peters came to Washington from the San Francisco 49ers, where he was the assistant GM when the front office pulled the trigger on drafting the Iowa State quarterback with the final pick of the 2022 draft. The rest was history.

“Now I’ve got to find a new quarterback,” Peters smiled.

It was not breaking news that the Commanders would seek an upgrade over Sam Howell and potentially draft a franchise quarterback this year. But Washington owns the No. 2 pick in April’s draft, a far cry from the final pick that Peters spent on Purdy. The Commanders sit ahead of QB-needy New England but behind Chicago.

Peters, in the GM seat for the first time of his career, will have plenty of say on the Commanders’ final decision. Peters said he will be meeting the crop of quarterback prospects in person for the first time this week, with some interviews lined up for Tuesday night and Wednesday.

“That’s just the beginning of the process,” Peters said. “It’s a huge part of really any position, is getting to know the person. That’s where we’ve always found, in scouting, you make the biggest mistakes more so on the person than the actual talent.”

Caleb Williams of Southern California, Drake Maye of North Carolina and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels of LSU are considered the cream of the draft crop. The running ability of Williams and Daniels in particular might make them an ideal fit for new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, the former Texas Tech and Arizona Cardinals head coach who has worked with Patrick Mahomes and Kyler Murray.

“We’ve really just talked about quarterback play in general, and what he looks for in quarterbacks and how we can find that right fit for him, if that’s what we’re gonna do,” said Peters, who hired Kingsbury three weeks ago.

“Certainly that hasn’t been decided yet by any stretch of the imagination. We still have a lot of work to do, whether it’s that pick or later.”

Peters went on to claim the Commanders “really like what we have” in Howell, a fifth-round pick by the previous regime in 2022, and that the quarterback room needs to have competition to ensure the best outcomes.

“You guys know how construction goes. It doesn’t go real fast,” Peters said.

New Commanders head coach Dan Quinn was scheduled to meet with reporters at 5 p.m.

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Dan Quinn says Eric Bieniemy won’t return to Commanders’ staff

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Eric Bieniemy is out of a job less than one year after leaving the Kansas City Chiefs for the Washington Commanders.

At his introductory press conference Monday, new Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said Bieniemy, Washington’s assistant head coach and offensive coordinator in 2023, will not be retained.

The Commanders hired former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury as their offensive coordinator. Quinn said Monday that he “had a good visit” with Bieniemy.

“I think he’s an excellent coach. We’re not going to work together here,” Quinn said. “I wanted him to know I respect the work that he’s done. I wish EB nothing but the best.”

Bieniemy, 54, spent a decade on the Chiefs’ staff, spending 2013-17 as their running backs coach and being elevated to offensive coordinator in 2018. Head coach Andy Reid remained the Chiefs’ offensive play-caller.

Bieniemy, who is Black, had several interviews for head-coaching positions but was never offered a job. After the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win over the Philadelphia Eagles last year, he accepted the Washington position as an opportunity to build his own staff and call plays.

The Commanders went 4-13 in 2023, ending on an eight-game losing streak. Head coach Ron Rivera was fired at season’s end.

Bieniemy — who interviewed for the head-coaching role that ultimately went to Quinn — was let go despite having a year left on his contract.

As for the Commanders, 2024 could mark the start of a new era. Josh Harris purchased the team from Dan Snyder last year. The new ownership group hired Adam Peters as general manager. Washington controls the second pick in the draft and is a likely candidate to select a franchise quarterback.

Peters said he and Quinn “have a shared vision that we’re going to build a team with the play style and the identity that you guys will love to watch.”

Quinn, who guided the Atlanta Falcons to a Super Bowl appearance during a six-year tenure as head coach, spent the past three seasons as the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator and was a popular candidate to interview for head jobs. His new position sees him move to an NFC East division rival.

“It was the one where it was like a flashing light to me,” Quinn said Monday. “This is the moment. This is the one.”

Quinn hired Dallas secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr. to be his defensive coordinator, saying Monday that Whitt will call the defensive plays.

–Field Level Media

Jan 1, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury on the field prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Kliff Kingsbury lands Commanders’ OC position

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After removing himself from the running to be the Las Vegas Raiders’ offensive coordinator over the weekend, Kliff Kingsbury will take the same post with the Washington Commanders, per an ESPN report Sunday.

Reports had surfaced Saturday that Kingsbury, 44, would join new head coach Dan Quinn in Washington after news broke that Kingsbury wouldn’t be part of the staff of Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce.

The Commanders likely will grab a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and Southern California’s Caleb Williams could be that selection.

Kingsbury worked with Williams while spending the 2023 season with the Trojans as a senior offensive analyst. Kingsbury posted a 28-37-1 record before he was fired at the end of his fourth season in 2022 as the Arizona Cardinals’ head coach.

A former NFL quarterback, Kingsbury worked at the University of Houston and Texas A&M as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach before taking the head coaching job at Texas Tech, where he overlapped with Patrick Mahomes.

Kingsbury’s best season with the Cardinals came in 2021, when they ranked 11th in scoring offense but watched a 10-2 start end in an 11-6 regular-season record and a blowout loss in the wild-card round.

Kingsbury also interviewed with the Chicago Bears for their offensive coordinator post before Chicago hired former Seattle Seahawks OC Shane Waldron.

–Field Level Media

Dec 25, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury takes the field before their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at State Farm Stadium. Nfl Tampa Bay At Cardinals

Report: Kliff Kingsbury withdraws from consideration for Raiders OC job

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Kliff Kingsbury has taken himself out of the running for the Las Vegas Raiders’ vacant offensive coordinator position, ESPN reported on Saturday citing an exchange with his agent.

Multiple media outlets had Kingsbury in line to be hired for the position under Raiders now head coach Antonio Pierce.

Kingsbury, 44, posted a 28-37-1 record before he was fired at the end of his fourth season in 2022 as the Arizona Cardinals’ head coach. He spent the 2023 football season as a senior offensive analyst for Lincoln Riley at Southern California, where he worked with potential No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams.

A former NFL quarterback, Kingsbury worked at the University of Houston and Texas A&M as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach before taking the head coaching job at Texas Tech, where he overlapped with Patrick Mahomes.

Kingsbury’s best season with the Cardinals came in 2021, when they ranked 11th in scoring offense but watched a 10-2 start end in an 11-6 regular-season record and a blowout loss in the wild-card round.

Kingsbury also interviewed with the Chicago Bears for their offensive coordinator post before Chicago hired former Seattle Seahawks OC Shane Waldron.

–Field Level Media

Dec 25, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury takes the field before their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at State Farm Stadium. Nfl Tampa Bay At Cardinals

USC tabs Kliff Kingsbury as senior offensive analyst

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Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury was named a senior offensive analyst at Southern California on Tuesday.

“We’re excited to officially welcome Kliff to our coaching staff and add another outstanding football mind to our program,” Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley said.

Kingsbury, 43, was fired as head coach of the Cardinals after a 4-13 season in 2022 that came on the heels of a playoff appearance in 2021.

His rise through the coaching ranks as a disciple of the late Mike Leach included coaching at Texas Tech. With the Red Raiders, Kingsbury coached Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield, and in Arizona he led the selection and development of No. 1 pick Kyler Murray.

As a coach at Texas A&M and Houston, Kingsbury also had pupils turned pros such as Case Keenum (Houston), Johnny Manziel (during his Texas A&M freshman, Heisman Trophy-winning season) and Davis Webb (Texas Tech).

Kingsbury went 28-37-1 in his four seasons with the Cardinals.

USC has another top-rated passer — Caleb Williams — most expect to enter the NFL in 2024. He set Trojans single-season records for passing touchdowns (42) and passing yards (4,537) and won the Heisman Trophy in 2022.

–Field Level Media

Jul 29, 2022; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon speaks with the media at training camp at NovaCare Complex. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Cardinals hiring Jonathan Gannon as head coach

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The Arizona Cardinals are finalizing a deal to hire Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon as their new head coach, multiple outlets reported Tuesday.

The reports come on the same day that former Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen was hired as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts.

Gannon, 40, interviewed for the job on Monday, one day after the Eagles dropped a 38-35 decision to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Ariz.

Gannon, Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka were considered the top candidates for the Cardinals’ job.

Gannon will replace Kliff Kingsbury, who was fired by Arizona on Jan. 9. Kingsbury posted a 4-13 record in 2022 and 28-37-1 mark in four seasons as coach of the Cardinals.

Gannon was the architect of an impressive Eagles defense that in 2022 registered a league-high 70 sacks and held opponents to 20.2 points per game.

Gannon’s NFL coaching career began in 2007 with the Atlanta Falcons when he served as defensive quality control coach. He also worked with the then-St. Louis Rams as a scout, Tennessee Titans in defensive quality control, Minnesota Vikings as an assistant defensive backs coach, and the Colts as cornerbacks coach before being hired in Philadelphia in 2021.

–Field Level Media

Aug 5, 2022; Houston, Texas, US; A general picture of a Houston Texans helmet after training camp at the Texans practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Texans to hire Bobby Slowik as OC

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The Houston Texans are hiring Bobby Slowik as their offensive coordinator, NFL Network reported Sunday morning.

Slowik and new Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans spent the past six seasons together with the San Francisco 49ers.

Former Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury also interviewed with the Texans for the role of offensive coordinator. The position was vacant after Houston opted against retaining Pep Hamilton after finishing 31st in total offense (283.5 yards per game) and tied for 30th in scoring offense (17.0 points) last season.

Slowik, 35, began his NFL coaching career as a video assistant and defensive assistant with the Washington franchise from 2011-13. He later joined the 49ers as a defense quality control coach in 2017 before becoming an offensive assistant in 2019.

Slowik was promoted to San Francisco’s offensive passing game specialist in 2021 and named the passing game coordinator in 2022.

–Field Level Media

Dec 25, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury takes the field before their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at State Farm Stadium. Nfl Tampa Bay At Cardinals

Report: Kliff Kingsbury not interested in OC openings

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It doesn’t appear that Kliff Kingsbury, fired as coach of the Arizona Cardinals earlier this week, is currently interested in any offensive coordinator openings.

According to FOX Sports, Kingsbury recently bought a one-way ticket to Thailand and is not planning any interviews despite multiple teams’ interest in hiring him as OC.

Kingsbury’s contract with the Cardinals was guaranteed through the 2026 season with an option for 2027. He went 28-37-1 in four seasons at the helm.

A number of teams have a vacancy at the offensive coordinator position, including the Patriots, Commanders, Rams, Jets and Titans, along with teams who will have new coaching staffs in 2023.

Kingsbury, 42, is a friend of Rams head coach Sean McVay and also has ties to the Patriots as a former backup quarterback.

–Field Level Media

Cardinals General Manager Steve Keim welcomes new head coach Kliff Kingsbury during his introductory news conference on Jan. 9. Arizona Cardinals New Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury

Cards extend GM Steve Keim, Kliff Kingsbury through 2027

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Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim and head coach Kliff Kingsbury signed contract extensions through the 2027 season.

Financial terms of the deals were not disclosed by the team on Wednesday.

The Cardinals posted an 11-6 record in 2021 to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Arizona, however, dropped a 34-11 decision to the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams in the NFC wild-card round.

“The leadership of both Steve and Kliff have been key factors in the team’s turnaround over the last three seasons,” Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said in a statement. “We are all looking forward to continuing that progress and recognize these two individuals will be a big part of achieving our long-term goals as an organization.”

Keim, 49, is heading into his 10th season as general manager of the Cardinals. He has been with the organization since 1999.

Kingsbury, 42, owns a 24-24-1 regular-season record during his three seasons with the team.

–Field Level Media

Aug 20, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury talks with quarterback Kyler Murray (1) prior to facing the Kansas City Chiefs at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Kliff Kingsbury: Cardinals in ‘good place’ with Kyler Murray

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Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury said Tuesday that he is in “a good place” with quarterback Kyler Murray, one day after Murray’s agent released a statement saying Murray wanted a new contract.

“I think our long-term goal here is to have Kyler be our quarterback,” Kingsbury told reporters at the scouting combine in Indianapolis. “He understands that. He understands my view of him and how I feel about him.

“It’s all part of the business right now and things we’ll continue to work through.”

Kingsbury deferred contract-specific questions to general manager Steve Keim while projecting confidence that the issue would be settled. Murray scrubbed all references to the Cardinals from his Instagram last month, setting off a drama-filled offseason.

ESPN reported that some Cardinals decision-makers had questions about Murray’s leadership and ability to handle adversity.

Kingsbury said he did not know Murray’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, would post his statement of more than 1,000 words online Monday. The coach said Murray met with him and Cardinals brass after the season ended with a 34-11 playoff loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams.

“We had a great talk right after the season with him,” Kingsbury said. “He talked about his concerns, we talked about what we wanted. So we’re going to work through those things.”

Kingsbury then added he has not spoken with Murray since Burkhardt released the statement, but that they speak “regularly” — appearing at first to say “frequently” before changing his choice of words.

–Field Level Media