Raiders expected to hire ex-Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury as new offensive coordinator

Kliff Kingsbury is back in the NFL. 

The former Arizona Cardinals head coach is expected to be hired by the Las Vegas Raiders as the team’s new offensive coordinator, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported. 

A deal had not been agreed upon as of Thursday night, but it is believed that it will get done, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported. 

Kingsbury had spent four seasons in the desert before the Cardinals fired him in January 2023 after an underwhelming 2022 season in which they went 4–13. 

He spent last season as a senior offensive analyst and quarterbacks coach at USC, but has remained a well-respected figure in NFL circles and Garafolo reported last weekend that Kingsbury was expected to land an offensive coordinator gig somewhere in the league. 

Kingsbury had interviewed for the open offensive coordinator jobs in Philadelphia and Chicago, as well as interviewing for the Vegas job. 

The Raiders were looking for an experienced candidate to take over the offensive play-calling this upcoming season after opting to part ways with interim offensive coordinator Bo Hardegree after the season. 

Las Vegas also had been interested in former Eagles and 49ers head coach Chip Kelly for the position. 

Kelly interviewed with the organization at least twice, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Thursday, and the well-known coach was “open to a return to the NFL.” 

Nevertheless, Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce opted to go with Kingsbury.

During his four years in Arizona, Kingsbury led the team to a 28-37-1 with his best season coming in 2021 as the Cardinals went 11-6 and made it to the NFC wild-card round. 

Kingsbury served as an offensive coordinator at Houston and Texas A&M before getting his first head coaching job in 2013 at Texas Tech, where he coached six seasons.