ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Kliff Kingsbury is expected to return for a second season as the Washington Commanders’ offensive coordinator, a move that was anticipated for some time given his comfort level on Dan Quinn’s staff coaching dynamic young quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Multiple outlets reported Tuesday that Kingsbury had attracted interest from the New Orleans Saints for their head-coaching vacancy but that he told them and other NFL teams he would be remaining with Washington. The Saints were the only job left open after Chicago, Dallas, New England, Jacksonville, Las Vegas and the New York Jets hired coaches.
"I’m very happy here,” Kingsbury said recently. “This has been an awesome, awesome place and has really helped me kind of rekindle my love for the sport.”
Kingsbury is still getting paid, reportedly $7.5 million annually, by the Arizona Cardinals through 2027 after signing a long-term extension with them in 2022 and getting fired 11 months later, along with general manager Steve Keim.
Patrick Mahomes' college coach at Texas Tech who also worked with Caleb Williams at Southern California, Kingsbury seemed like the ideal fit for Daniels and the Commanders after general manager Adam Peters and Quinn hired him to run their offense. Washington scored the fifth-most points in the league during the regular season, going 12-5 and winning two playoff games before losing in the NFC championship game at Philadelphia.
Kingsbury had told teams he would not interview for jobs until the Commanders' season was over.
In roster moves made Tuesday, the team signed a bulk of its young practice squad players to reserve/future contracts. Those returning include former Notre Dame and Wake Forest QB Sam Hartman and a couple of holdover draft picks from Ron Rivera's regime, tight end Cole Turner and defensive end Andre Jones Jr.
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The Associated Press
