Getty Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
Heading into the weekend, the Las Vegas Raiders thought they had their offensive coordinator locked up. That was until Kliff Kingsbury decided to back out and take a job with the Washington Commanders.
It was a surprising turn of events but it may have actually been easily avoidable. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer revealed details on the contract dispute that led to the two sides going in different directions.
“In simple terms, Las Vegas’s unwillingness to go to a third year on Kliff Kingsbury’s contract opened the door for other teams to swoop in—which the Commanders did right away, agreeing to terms with the former Cardinals and Texas Tech head coach Sunday,” Breer wrote in a February 5 column.
The Raiders only wanted to give Kingsbury a two-year contract and it’s likely he was able to get a third year from the Commanders. Giving a coordinator with Kingsbury’s experience a three-year contract isn’t out of the ordinary so it’s odd that Las Vegas wasn’t willing to give him that commitment unless they weren’t totally sold on him in the first place.
Luke Getsy a ‘Very Solid Hire’
The Raiders quickly pivoted and decided to hire former Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. While many fans bemoaned the hiring, Albert Breer is a fan of the decision.
“But I do think Luke Getsy is a very solid hire,” Breer wrote. “In his two years calling the Bears offense, he retrofitted what he did to bring Justin Fields in, weathered injuries to Fields (one that forced undrafted free-agent Tyson Bagent onto the field), helped to fix the offensive line and got plenty out of players like DJ Moore and Cole Kmet. Getsy’s respected by his peers, and his experience working with quarterbacks at opposite ends of their careers (Fields and Aaron Rodgers) should serve him well in helping the Raiders address the position in 2024.”
Getsy has only been an offensive coordinator at the NFL for two seasons but couldn’t get an offense to be better than 18th in the league. However, it seems like the Bears’ struggles on offense are getting put on Justin Fields‘ shoulders over Getsy. Regardless, the coach is only 39 and the Raiders could simply be a better fit for his style. It’s likely that he only signed a two-year contract so it won’t be difficult for the team to pivot if he’s not working out.
Why Not Give Kliff Kingsbury a 3rd Year?
Kliff Kingsbury failed as a head coach with the Arizona Cardinals but there was excitement about the idea of him only focusing on offense. His head coaching experience would have been a strong addition to Antonio Pierce’s staff.
Luke Getsy doesn’t come to the team with any head coaching experience so he’s not somebody Pierce can rely on as much. That said, if the Raiders really wanted Kingsbury, they likely would’ve been able to land him.
The only thing that makes sense as to why the team wouldn’t give him a third year on his contract is that they weren’t totally sold on him as the perfect fit. A lot of the top offensive coordinator candidates got swooped up this offseason and Kingsbury has never been an offensive coordinator at the NFL level.
The Raiders may have wanted to maintain flexibility if he didn’t work out. In the end, Getsy will be calling plays in Las Vegas and Kingsbury will be calling plays in Washington so it’ll quickly become apparent if the Raiders made a mistake.