Though his first stint as an NFL head coach can't be characterized as a success, former Texas Tech and Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury is once again a hot name in NFL coaching circles. In fact, it is being reported that Kingsbury might be set to interview for the head coaching position with another NFL franchise this year.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler is reporting that Kingsbury will interview with the Chicago Bears to fill their vacant head coaching position. In late November, that organization fired head coach Matt Eberflus after a 4-8 start to the season, one that included a six-game losing streak at the time of Eberflus' dismissal.
It shouldn't come as a surprise to see Kingsbury draw interest from the Bears. That's because he has a history with Chicago's rookie QB, Caleb Williams, who was the No.1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
In 2023, when Williams was a junior at USC, Kingsbury worked as a senior offensive analyst for the Trojans. During that season, he would have developed a relationship with Williams, who the Bears are counting on to be their long-awaited answer at the quarterback position.
Of course, Kingsbury has made his name as a coach by developing quarterbacks into stars. It started at Texas Tech where he turned former 3-star recruit Patrick Mahomes II into a first-round NFL Draft pick. Then, Kingsbury parlayed that success into the head coaching job with the Cardinals in the NFL just months after he was fired by Texas Tech.
With Arizona, Kingsbury was instrumental in the decision to draft former Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft. Under Kingsbury's guidance, Murray was named the 2019 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019 and he was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2020 and 2021.
Kingsbury had an overall record of just 28-37 with the Cardinals. However, he did lead them to an 11-6 record in 2021 which resulted in a playoff birth.
He wouldn't survive the next season, though, as he was fired following a 4-13 campaign. However, he now appears to have revived his image around the league thanks to his work this season with the Washington Commanders.
As Washington's offensive coordinator, Kingsbury has mentored rookie QB Jalen Daniels who has led the Commanders to an 11-5 season thus far. Along the way, the former LSU Tiger and first-round pick has thrown for 3,530 yards and 25 touchdowns with only nine picks. What's more, the Commanders have locked up a playoff spot in the NFC.
Now, the Bears could be interested in bringing Kingsbury aboard to help guide Williams to stardom. This year, Williams has been able to throw for 3,393 yards and 19 TDs with six picks however he hasn't set the NFL on fire the way many predicted he would when he was drafted.
Pairing Williams and Kingsbury together could be a savvy move for a Chicago franchise that hasn't necessarily been known for making shrewd coaching hires in recent years. If Kingsbury gets his shot to be a head coach again, perhaps he will have greater success in his second opportunity to lead a franchise in the NFL.