The Saints requested a Kliff Kingsbury interview shortly after the common season ended, however no assembly was ever scheduled. The Commanders OC obtained curiosity from different groups as effectively however indicated he wouldn’t meet concerning any HC jobs until after the team’s season wrapped.
Washington’s exceptional turnaround ended within the NFC Championship Recreation, and the New Orleans job stays open. However Kingsbury will not be . He’ll keep on because the Commanders OC for a second season, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. This choice will present essential continuity for Jayden Daniels as he makes an attempt to comply with up on among the best rookie seasons in quarterback historical past.
Kingsbury’s inventory has surged on account of Daniels’ rookie-year kind. The Washington play-caller has gone from being fired from his Arizona HC submit, regardless of having signed an extension months earlier, to an assistant who will in all probability be a coveted possibility come 2026. That is fairly the turnaround for a scrutinized coach whose Cardinals operation unraveled in a 4-13 2022 season.
The Bears and Saints sent Kingsbury interview requests Jan. 9, and the Cowboys subsequently showed interest within the Texas native. Whereas most who obtain interview requests take these conferences, Kingsbury is being affected person this time round. Already having an fascinating previous concerning NFL curiosity, Kingsbury has since seen Daniels modify his considering additional. The potential famous person’s trajectory was rumored to be dissuading Kingsbury from leaving Washington so soon.
Kingsbury, 45, has already gone from being fired by a Huge 12 program (Texas Tech) solely to be employed as an NFL HC; the Cardinals shaped that uncommon path for Patrick Mahomes‘ faculty coach in 2019. Kingsbury did snap a five-year Cardinals playoff drought by guiding the 2021 workforce to that time, however his tenure turned after a woeful 2022 season. The Cardinals fired Kingsbury and didn’t deliver again longtime GM Steve Keim, rebooting and finally sending their HC again to the school ranks. Kingsbury catching on as USC’s place coach, the place he mentored Caleb Williams, helped his inventory. A number of groups reached out with OC interview requests — to the purpose at the very least two groups supplied jobs. Kingsbury backed out of a Raiders settlement and joined the Commanders, who’re believed to have supplied him a three-year deal.
Daniels is all however sure to win Offensive Rookie of the Yr honors, Brock Bowers‘ record-setting season however, and shedding his play-caller after Yr 1 would have launched a hurdle. Kingsbury now will reset and put together to additional develop Washington’s dual-threat sensation, as different groups monitor him forward of the 2026 HC carousel.
Kellen Moore, Mike McCarthy, Mike Kafka and Anthony Weaver characterize these nonetheless believed to be vying for the Saints’ HC submit. Kingsbury having a rising Commanders workforce as a fallback possibility proves essential right here, because the Saints are once more standing alone when it comes to cap area (or lack thereof, in New Orleans’ case) they usually have an onerous Derek Carr contract to navigate. The Saints’ subsequent HC will seemingly be tasked with discovering a long-term QB answer both this yr or subsequent, and restricted funds — a Saints staple — will affect this effort.
Kingsbury’s present workforce having discovered stated reply will permit the skilled play-caller to maintain rebuilding his inventory. Though Bobby Slowik‘s C.J. Stroud partnership represents a cautionary story right here, Kingsbury will wager on Daniels protecting him within the HC combine past this yr.
