It sounds like the Cardinals and Jets may not be interviewing former Texas Tech head coach and current USC coordinator Kliff Kingsbury after all. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that USC has denied the NFL teams permission to interview their offensive coordinator. Previous reports indicated that Kingsbury would indeed be interviewing with Arizona and New York.
As Schefter notes, this news is a “perfect storm of the NFL’s new enforcement of an old rule.” League officials recently informed team executives that they had to request permission from athletic directors in order to interview college head coaches. If teams didn’t follow this protocol, it’d be considered “conduct detrimental” to the league, at which time the NFL could “dock draft picks” from the applicable teams.
“If permission is denied, the NFL club should respect that decision just as it would respect a similar decision from another NFL club,” the rule states. “NFL clubs that fail to follow these protocols may be subject to disciplinary action for conduct detrimental to the League.”
Following a 5-7 campaign, Kingsbury was fired by Texas Tech in late November. Despite his lackluster tenure at the school, NFL teams have taken notice of his ability to develop quarterbacks; Kingsbury ultimately brought both Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield to Lubbock, Texas.
After declining a chance to become the head coach of the University of Houston, he quickly caught on as USC’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, replacing Tee Martin. Prior to accepting the USC gig, the coach reportedly received overtures from NFL teams. However, since that time, Kingsbury has continued to say that he is solely focused on his current gig with the Trojans.
Denying guys opportunity for a promotion. Classy USC.
You may not think it classy but players being recruited to a college sports program have certain expectations as to who will be coaching them. How are these colleges going to honor commitments to these players if NFL teams are allowed to poach their staff without consequences?
He was hired 3 weeks ago and is not the HC. If a guy only joins a school because of someone who is not the HC then they probably aren’t for you. Its USC too, like anyone would want to leave for somewhere else unless its that other school in LA
That’s where your wrong kiddo.
A player joins a school for a variety of reasons. Other coaches than the head coach also play a part in that decision cause you primarily work with a position coach and coordinator moreso than the head coach during practice.
Given kingbury track record of evaluating qb talent I can see why players would eventually want to work with him especially if he produces some more nfl caliber QBs.
Ok cool. That doesn’t mean keep him from a promotion. Every sport has no problem with it. Except this one and itd sad. Not just USC.
The only people who like LA are the people that live there. Everyone else hates that dump.
Means alot coming from a bay are fanboy
He was only hired a few weeks ago. If he was an important part of recruiting (or the head coach) then maybe, but in this case an NFL job as a head coach or OC is a clear promotion from the job he currently has. USC has no reason to block him from interviewing.
They JUST hired him 3 weeks ago and going to the Jets or Cardinals is NOT a promotion.
The Cardinals and Jets are awful, but USC isn’t any good either. Not to mention, he would go from a coordinator to a head coach and making WAY more money. Sounds like a big promotion to me.
I hate to tell you this but as much as the teams stink its still a promotion. Jets have some good young guys to build around, 100 mill in cap space and NYC. Sounds like a promotion
1969…….
Lol you’re probably right on that part
Future coordinators beware
So the NFL says they need permission from the AD to interview Head Coaches, there’s no mention of Coordinators…….he should be free to go where he wants.
Only in sports and politics can you keep your current job while publicly looking for a better one and come back to your employer if you don’t get it. I have no problem with USC saying no to interview requests since he just took the job