The Washington Commanders didn’t have to wait long to get their biggest question answered in regards to what their offense will look like in 2025 — would offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury leave for a head coaching job or come back for a second season with superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels?
Kingsbury now seems headed back to Washington, according to a report from FOX Sports NFL Insider Jordan Schultz on January 28.
“Breaking: #Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury — despite interest from the #Saints and other teams — has decided to stay in Washington for a second season following a remarkable turnaround that saw the team go from 4 wins to an NFC Championship appearance,” Schultz wrote on his official X account. “His return ensures continuity for the Commanders’ offense heading into 2025. Kingsbury will be a top HC candidate again next year, but the opportunity in Washington was too good to walk away from now.”
Kingsbury was perceived as a top candidate for the lone remaining NFL head coaching job with the New Orleans Saints but had paused any interviews during the Commanders’ surprise playoff run — one that came to an end with a 55-23 blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game on January 26.
“The Saints remain interested in talking to Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury,” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote on January 25. “Kingsbury, however, remains focused on getting the Commanders as far as they can go. Kingsbury, as reported by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football and as confirmed by PFT, hasn’t decided whether he’ll interview for the head-coaching vacancy in New Orleans. It’s the last head-coaching job left in the 2025 hiring cycle.”
Kingsbury-Daniels Was Dynamic Combination in ’24
To see Kingsbury’s pairing with Daniels after the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner was selected No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL draft reaped bigger rewards than anyone could have anticipated.
The Commanders went 12-5 — their best regular season record since 1991 — won their first playoff game since 2005 and made the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 1991. Daniels was named a Pro Bowler and established himself as not just the league’s best rookie quarterback but one of the league’s best quarterbacks, regardless.
A lot of that credit falls to Kingsbury, who incorporated an offense that played to Daniels’ strength and knew to trust him more than a coordinator usually would with a rookie quarterback.
Kingsbury Has Previous NFL HC Experience
It wouldn’t be Kingsbury’s first go-round as an NFL head coach. He was fired after 3 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, where he went 28-37 from 2019 to 2022.
Kingsbury was also a big-time college football head coach for a stretch, going 35-40 in 6 seasons at Texas Tech from 2013 to 2018.
Not taking the job with the Saints also might end up being the best move of Kingsbury’s career as it’s a franchise that appears to be in some sort of death spiral. New Orleans hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2020 — the final season with former head coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees — and their 5-12 record in 2024 was their worst record since going 3-13 in 2005 and led to Dennis Allen being fired after a 2-7 start.
Comments
Commanders Make Major Decison on Future of Offense