Washington Commanders Expected to Make Kliff Kingsbury Next Offensive Coordinator

The top of the Washington Commanders' new coaching staff is nearly set. According to NFL Network's Peter Schrager, the team is hiring former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury to replace Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator.

This just in.

Kliff Kingsbury has agreed to terms to become the Offensive Coordinator of the Washington Commanders, per source. @gmfb @NFLonFOX @nflnetwork
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) February 5, 2024

Kingsbury will work underneath newly signed head coach Dan Quinn. The Commanders have yet to officially hire a defensive coordinator, but Dallas Cowboys assistant Joe Whitt Jr. has been rumored for the role.

Kingsbury is a big name, but his resume in the NFL and the NCAA isn't particularly impressive. As the head coach of Texas Tech from 2013 to 2018, he managed a .467 winning percentage and finished unranked in all of his six seasons. He left to coach the Cardinals from 2019 to 2022, amassing a 28-37-1 record and failing to record a single season at a top-10 scoring offense.

Ultimately, Kingsbury's perceived value in the NFL revolves around his history of proximity to great quarterbacks. His tenure at Texas Tech didn't result in a lot of glory, but he did prepare quarterback Patrick Mahomes for eventual greatness in the pros. He also worked as a Senior Offensive Assistant for USC this year, which means he has an established working relationship with top prospect Caleb Williams. The Commanders currently possess the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Ironically, Kingsbury's role in Mahomes' ascent to superstar status is arguably much less significant than his predecessor's: Bieniemy was the Chief's offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2022, Mahomes' first six seasons as a starter. The Chiefs offense also had easily their worst season of the Mahomes era in Bieniemy's absence this year, finishing 15th in points per game with 21.8 and 23rd in giveaways with 28. A reunion could benefit both sides.