Kliff Kingsbury spent this season out of the NFL, returning to the college ranks after his Cardinals ouster. The Bears are interested in gauging his credentials for their newly vacated offensive coordinator gig.
The USC assistant is expected to interview for the Chicago opening, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Kingsbury has never been an NFL coordinator, though he spent four seasons as the Cards’ HC. Additionally, the Bears requested an OC meeting with Eagles assistant Marcus Brady, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Brady spent two seasons as Colts OC under Frank Reich.
With Caleb Williams potentially Chicago-bound, the Kingsbury fit would certainly be interesting. Kingsbury joined Lincoln Riley’s staff ahead of Williams’ final Trojans season, serving as the Pac-12 program’s quarterbacks coach. The familiarity gained would be of interest to a Bears team — perhaps even as an additional Williams scouting mission.
Although Kingsbury is the bigger name here, Brady and Matt Eberflus have more history. Both were assistants under Reich from 2018-21. The 2021 season involved Brady, who replaced Nick Sirianni as Indianapolis’ OC, and Eberflus in place as Reich’s coordinators.
The Reich coaching tree has taken a hit this year, seeing as Reich himself has been fired during the past two seasons and Sirianni’s Eagles completing one of the most shocking freefalls in recent memory. But Eberflus received a third year with the Bears, showing improvement down the stretch. He should be expected to meet with Brady, who spent this season as a senior offensive assistant in Philly. Brady has not yet called plays in the NFL, with Reich holding that responsibility throughout his Colts tenure.
Kingsbury, 43, guided a Cardinals team down J.J. Watt and DeAndre Hopkins to the playoffs in 2021. But cracks in Arizona’s foundation became glaringly apparent a year later. Kingsbury-Kyler Murray discord emerged, and the Cardinals’ offense — already reliant on shorter passes — took a step back in a 4-13 campaign that ended with Murray on the shelf with a torn ACL and Kingsbury fired months after he had inked an extension. The Cards ranked 21st offensively in 2022 but finished 13th and 11th in 2020 and ’21, respectively. Kingsbury was believed to be rejecting OC meetings last year, though he did end up in Houston to discuss the Texans’ play-calling job that went to Bobby Slowik.
Returning to the college level, Kingsbury coached Williams to another strong season. Although Williams was not on the Heisman radar in 2023, he topped his Heisman-year numbers in yards per attempt and completion percentage. The Trojans also finished third in scoring nationally, matching their place from 2022.
Additionally, the Bears scheduled an OC interview with Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Robinson, 37, has been on Sean McVay’s Rams staff for the past five years. Four of those, including the team’s Super Bowl-winning year, have come coaching QBs. Losing OC Kevin O’Connell in 2022, McVay elevated Robinson to QBs coach; he had been L.A.’s assistant QBs coach in 2021. The Rams went outside the organization to replace Liam Coen as OC, hiring Mike LaFleur, but Robinson remained onboard as QBs coach.
The Bears, who essentially have a Williams-or-Justin Fields decision looming, is Kingsbury’s first connection to another NFL job. Here is how their OC chase looks so far:
- Marcus Brady, senior offensive assistant (Eagles): Interview requested
- Thomas Brown, offensive coordinator (Panthers): To interview
- Liam Coen, offensive coordinator (Kentucky): To interview
- Kliff Kingsbury, quarterbacks coach (USC): To interview
- Greg Olson, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/12
- Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interviewed 1/18
- Greg Roman, former offensive coordinator (Ravens): To interview
- Shane Waldron, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interview requested
A Kingsbury hire is a pretty much a lock that Williams will get picked #1 by Chicago
Wouldn’t that be deja vu….didn’t Kingsbury do the same with Kyler Murray and how did that work out for the Cards?
Bombed. It would be a huge mistake.
You can’t really compare a HC gig to an OC gig. Kliff can run an O, but he should never have his fingerprints on a D. That’s why it’s likely that he will never get an NFL HC job again.
Kingsbury won’t be HC, and the Bears won’t get any veteran NFL OC because it’s not an ideal situation. If they keep Fields and he fails, it’s the OCs fault. If they draft a QB and he turns out like Young, it’s the OCs fault. I think there are better OC positions out there like NYG, ATL or New Orleans that will be snapped up by the better coordinators.
To be fair to Young, he had garbage protection; a patchwork WR corp, and Tecmo Bowl play calling.
As good as he’s been in Houston, CJ would’ve face-planted in CAR too
Let’s pump the brakes before we call Young a bust, please. He had terrible personnel around him, bad coaching, and a toxic environment due to the idiot owner.
One veteran NFL OC has already interviewed and few more are on the list, so your first statement is incorrect. You really think the NYG with Jones, no WRs, and possibly not Barkley, ATL with no QB, or NO with Carr are a better OC situation? I would argue that.
ATL has playmakers on offense. NO has an above average offense that scored over 400 pts in 2023. NYG have stability with Daboll for awhile. Bears have a HC that isn’t as stable as the others. No guarantee he’ll be around next season. I’m not sure if all the coordinators were let go on those other teams, but the Bears kept their OL coach. Whoever takes over as Bears OC won’t be able to pick his entire staff. My point the Bears OC job isn’t the best one out there.
You’re off. NY, Atlanta, New Orleans are better spots for an OC? Every OC in the league would love to get there hands on Caleb Williams.
Money solves that dilemma for any OC, but since the McCaskeys throw nickels around like they were manhole covers the Bears are forced to make their best guess. Then pick the most proven of the bunch. If Poles seriously is considering Kingsbury because of a Williams connection then this org is doomed until Poles is replaced, but I think Poles is smarter than that.
Caleb is not Kyler.
Kingsbury didn’t work in the NFL and his offense won’t work in the NFL. The only thing close was the Eagles offense which is a hybrid of zone running, RPO sets, and then air raid verticals down feel for big plays. This year they focused more on the air raid part to the point that they were league worst 5% of passes middle of the field. What Kingsbury runs he learned from Mike Leach who found success with it at the college level getting the most out of mediocre talent. Pass heavy air raid offenses don’t work at the nba level.
Kliff?
Again??
wtaf is wrong with NFL owners?
He just coached Caleb at USC. It is actually a very smart interview by Poles to gather information on him.
Caleb also had his “worst” season; coincidence?
I’d actually be ok with this.
I called this!
link to profootballrumors.com
DeBouillon • 1 week ago
I have been all for keeping Fields. But I think the OC hiring will be an indicator. I think a Kliff Kingsbury-Caleb Williams tandem might be the best option. This past season Kingsbury has been Caleb’s QB coach and passing game coordinator. Watching film CW makes incredible throw. He seems like he’s a pain in the @ss deva. But most elite QBs are. I think the transition would be easier for CW if there was a familiar face and offense to have coming into the league.
With Fields it would be the 3rd OC and 3rd system for the 24 year old. I think that may be too much to ask for, and we would be doing him and the team a disservice. I would love if Fields could be the man and we can trade back in the draft for a fortune in draft capital. Last year’s trade was epic. But I think we can get someone like Kliff to come in and work with Caleb on day one.
I doubt the Bears are looking to spend the amount of money Kingsbury feels he’s worth. Also have to wonder if Kliff could resist trying to micro manage Eberflus.
Let’s just ignore Caleb’s season with Kliff was uninspiring in contrast to the prior season.
If Poles seriously is considering Kingsbury because of a Williams connection then this org is doomed until Poles is replaced, but I think Poles is smarter than that. If Poles really means what he says he trades down, hopefully only a couple of spots, and gets MHJ, then gets the Center and LT he needs and Edge and NT on the D. Let the splashy pick be MHJ and then the rest be fairly ho hum. I want to see line improvement, which makes the O and D better, not the shiny objects the casual Bears fan wants like Williams.