The perfect head coaching fit for Washington Commanders head coach Kliff Kingsbury might actually exist after Black Monday in the NFL saw 3 more head coaches fired.
Kingsbury’s name popped up immediately as a candidate for the Las Vegas Raiders head coach position after Pete Carroll was fired after one season in which he went 3-14 and the Raiders secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Take into account the Raiders might not be the only team after Kingsbury, with the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans both reportedly already seeking interviews.
“The expectation is that the Titans, Giants, and other teams with openings will request to interview Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury for their HC jobs, per sources,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz wrote on X on Monday, January 5. “One of the league’s top QB developers, Kingsbury has worked with Jayden Daniels and Kyler Murray in their OROY seasons and with Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech.”
Kingsbury does have one very important connection with the Raiders in former teammate and team co-owner Tom Brady, who reports say is acting as the “de facto boss” for the franchise in terms of decision making.
“NFL Black Monday is only a few days away,” Conquer Sports wrote on X on January 2. “One move I could definitely see happening is Kliff Kingsbury to the Las Vegas Raiders. Kingsbury and Raiders’ minority owner Tom Brady are former teammates and friends.”
Another No. 1 Overall Pick for Kingsbury?
If Kingsbury ends up with the Raiders, it will be his second head coaching job and second time taking over a team with the No. 1 overall pick.
Kingsbury was head coach of the Arizona Cardinals from 2019 to 2022 and took over with the Cardinals holding the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft and took Murray, who Kingsbury recruited heavily during his time as Texas Tech’s head coach.
With Kingsbury calling plays for him, Murray had his best NFL seasons. He was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019 and a 2-time Pro Bowler. Without Kingsbury, Murray’s career has gone down the tubes to the point where it’s likely he’ll be traded this offseason.
It would be hard to see Kingsbury turning down a head coach job this offseason if one is offered to him. While the Commanders went 12-5 in 2024 and made the NFC Championship Game, they regressed in 2025 in a pretty remarkable way by going 5-12.
Raiders, Kingsbury Have Weird History
Just Blog Baby’s Levi Dombro laid out why Kingsbury might not get a shot with the Raiders.
” … There are two glaring reasons why Kingsbury wouldn’t be a good match in Las Vegas,” Dombro wrote. “One is that, according to Fowler, Kingsbury is being selective about where he coaches. Given the stability of the Raiders’ head coach post in recent years, Kingsbury may want to steer clear. Second, and perhaps more important, is that Kingsbury and the franchise have already crossed paths before, and it didn’t end well. Last offseason, Las Vegas hired Kingsbury to be its offensive coordinator under Antonio Pierce. It was a done deal. However, in the middle of the night, Kingsbury jumped ship and left for the same position with the Commanders, spurning Mark Davis and the Raiders over what was called a contractual dispute.”
Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury Top Candidate for AFC Opening