Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury earned his first head coaching job in the NFL in 2019. He was known as someone who excels at developing quarterbacks, and the Arizona Cardinals hoped he would be the answer for Kyler Murray. Kingsbury held that position from 2019-2022 when he joined USC as a senior offensive analyst. He returned to the NFL in 2024 when the Commanders brought him in to help with the development of Jayden Daniels.
Kingsbury’s success with Daniels is undeniable, and with his previous head coaching experience, he was already a sought-after coaching candidate in 2025. He received interview requests from the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints, but declined the requests to focus on the playoffs. He said at the time that he’d consider a head coaching position if it were the right fit.
He’s not the only coordinator who could be up for a head coaching job, but he is one of eight that Bleacher Report indicates will be in high demand in 2026.
Kliff Kingsbury had a significant impact on 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders’ surprising run to the NFC Championship Game in the previous season.
Defensively, Washington struggled through most of the 2024 campaign and made a trade deadline move for cornerback Marshon Lattimore to patch up its secondary. The club still gave up the third-most rushing yards and ranked 22nd in red-zone defense for the season.
Kingsbury led a top-seven offense in scoring and total yards. In Week 3, Daniels had a breakout performance on Monday Night Football in a 38-33 road win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Daniels is an incredible talent, though Kingsbury deserves credit for designing an offensive system that allowed the young signal-caller to get off to an impressive career start. The Commanders had one reliable receiver, Terry McLaurin, and 34-year-old tight end Zach Ertz as the primary targets in a passing offense that ranked ninth in touchdowns.
Kingsbury has head coaching experience that will boost his resume. As the Arizona Cardinals’ lead skipper, he helped Kyler Murray make two Pro Bowl rosters and led the club to a playoff berth in 2021.
Teams that plan to take a quarterback early in the 2026 draft will hold Kingsbury in high regard based on what he’s done with Murray and Daniels, assuming the Commanders signal-caller builds on a strong rookie campaign.
The other coordinators on the list were Joe Brady (OC, Bills), Brian Flores (DC, Vikings), Josh Grizzard (OC, Bucs), Vance Joseph (DC, Broncos), Matt Nagy (OC, Chiefs), Zach Orr (DC, Ravens), Steve Spagnuolo (DC, Chiefs).
Kingsbury is in good company with the names mentioned above, and it won’t be surprising when teams request to interview him again in 2026. And while the Commanders would love to keep him around, it might be difficult if the right team comes knocking.