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Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury has been fired as the Washington Commanders' offensive coordinator.
Kingsbury was let go on Tuesday, Jan. 6, following his second season with Washington, which finished with a disappointing 5-12 record, according to the NFL Network.
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Kingsbury preceded Jonathan Gannon as head coach in Arizona for three seasons before he was fired after the 2022 season. Gannon was fired on Jan. 5 by the Cardinals, also after three seasons at the helm.
Washington head coach Dan Quinn and Kingsbury parted ways after they met on Jan. 6. Commanders' defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. was also let go.
After Kingsbury joined Washington in 2024, Kingsbury and Quinn helped lead the Commanders to a 12-5 record in their first year together behind a stellar rookie year from quarterback Jayden Daniels, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU who also played for Arizona State. The Commanders reached the NFC championship game but lost to their NFC East rival and eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Daniels earned the 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award and Kingsbury appeared on the rise.
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In 2024, the Commanders were ranked fifth in scoring and seventh in total yards. In 2025, they fell to 22nd in scoring at 20.9 points per game and 24th in yards, at 318.8 per game. Their mediocre scoring average was tied with the Cardinals, which finished 3-14.
Similar to the Cardinals, many of Kingsbury's key offensive players were injured most of this season. That includes Daniels, wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown, running backs Deebo Samuel and Austin Ekeler, former Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz and offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. The Commanders still finished fourth in rushing yards this season.
Prior to joining the Cardinals, Kingsbury coached Texas Tech from 2013-18. After leaving the Cardinals, he worked with USC coach Lincoln Riley as an offensive analyst, where he helped develop Caleb Williams, the 2022 Heisman winner and the Chicago Bears' 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Washington Commanders fire OC, ex-Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury
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