Black Monday across the NFL has already led to several more head coaching vacancies. And speculation continues to grow that Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is receiving strong consideration for another top job.
Kingsbury's status in Washington was thrown into serious doubt after a report from Dianna Russini of The Athletic hinted that the play-caller might be removed from the equation regardless, due to a supposed disconnect with general manager Adam Peters. Whether that carries much weight is debatable, but the Commanders need to plan accordingly, given that the hiring cycle is underway.
And one NFL insider confirmed that two clubs are expected to learn more about what Kingsbury could bring to their organizations.
Commanders' Kliff Kingsbury is expected to interview with the Giants and Titans
Jordan Schultz, citing sources familiar with the situation, reported that the expectation is that Kingsbury will receive interview requests from the New York Giants and the Tennessee Titans. They may not be the only ones, either, especially with some intriguing destinations now available.
"The expectation is that the Titans, Giants, and other teams with openings will request to interview Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury for their HC jobs, per sources. One of the league’s top QB developers, Kingsbury has worked with Jayden Daniels and Kyler Murray in their OROY seasons and with Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech."Jordan Schultz
This shouldn't come as news to the Commanders or their fan base. Kingsbury refused alluring glances last time around as Washington was in the midst of a deep playoff run. That's not the case this year, and if his relationship with Peters is as fractured as reported, he'll be far more receptive to any offers that come along.
The Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons all have a new head coaching vacancy to fill. So do the Arizona Cardinals, but Kingsbury won't be going there after being fired by the NFC West club.
Everything should become a little clearer in the coming weeks. The Commanders are not going to get caught short-handed. They will have a plan in place for whichever direction this saga goes. And Kingsbury still has to convince another team to take the plunge into something more.
It's yet another fascinating element to watch early in Washington's offseason. The landscape is going to change pretty drastically across the board. No fan should be complaining about that, but it does seem like the rumors about Kingsbury have some substance.
Kingsbury wants a shot at redemption. He might get it.