Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury Wants To Be An NFL Head Coach

Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury wants to be a head coach again. Will he seek out head coaching opportunities this offseason?

Kliff Kingsbury Wants To Coach Again

Kliff Kingsbury’s first public comments suggesting he wants to be a head coach again. Will be a massive story early this offseason if he accepts interviews.

Great line of questioning by @Sam4TR. pic.twitter.com/Yzx9iGQJnL

— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) January 2, 2025

During Thursday’s press conference, Sam Fortier of the Washington Post asked Kingsbury if he aspires to be a head coach again.

“At some point,” Kingsbury said. “We’ll see how everything plays out, but I’m very happy here.”

Kingsbury previously coached Texas Tech (2013-2018) for six seasons and the Arizona Cardinals (2019-2022) for four. Kingsbury’s best season came in 2021, leading the Cardinals to an 11-6 regular season record and qualifying for the Wild Card Round, where they lost to the Los Angeles Rams.

In his first season as the Commanders’ offensive coordinator, Kingsbury has helped Jayden Daniels blossom into a stellar rookie season. Daniels should win Offensive Rookie of the Year and looks like a franchise quarterback.

More importantly, the Commanders (11-5) have qualified for the postseason. Judging by his comments, Kingsbury is in no hurry to leave Daniels and Washington.

“This has been an awesome place and has really helped me rekindle my love for the sport,” Kingsbury said.

If Kingsbury, 45, continues to develop Daniels into one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, he will receive head coaching interest around the league. When that time comes to be a head coach, Kingsbury believes he will do things differently and implement practices he’s learned from Commanders head coach Dan Quinn.

“I don’t think I set the foundation [in Arizona] the way I would do it after watching DQ and how he set the foundation from day one,” Kingsbury said. “These are the standards, this is what we want, this is what we’re going to be. I definitely could have done a better job of that and kind of once you don’t lay it out like that, it’s hard to put it back in.”

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That and much more from Week 18 buzz file from @DanGrazianoESPN and mehttps://t.co/PCy8O3bESH

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 2, 2025

Kingsbury’s name has been associated with the Chicago Bears, who need a new head coach after firing Matt Eberflus. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Kingsbury is expected to interview for the Bears job. However, Kingsbury will be “selective” with the process.

Kingsbury worked with Caleb Williams at USC during the 2023 season.

After seeing what he could do with Daniels, the Bears are likely intrigued by how Kingsbury might develop Williams, who has struggled most of his rookie season.

Kingsbury cannot interview for a head coaching position until three days after the Commanders’ wild-card game.