Commanders hire Kliff Kingsbury as OC, top QB prospect Caleb Williams approves

Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Former Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury will work as offensive coordinator under new Washington Commanders coach Dan Quinn.

Sources told NFL Network, ESPN and the Washington Post about the hire Sunday night. Those outlets also reported that the Commanders agreed to hire Joe Whitt Jr. as defensive coordinator.

Kingsbury, 44, was head coach of the Cardinals from 2019 through 2022, posting a 28-37-1 record over four seasons. The Cardinals fired Kingsbury after the 2022 campaign.

Kingsbury, who had no NFL coaching experience prior to his tenure with the Cardinals, was head coach at Texas Tech from 2013 through 2018. He worked with future NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield and Davis Webb during that time frame.

He started his coaching career as an offensive quality control coach in 2008 at Houston. He also served as offensive coordinator at Houston and Texas A&M, where he worked with future NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel.

The Cardinals ranked inside the Top 10 in rushing yards in three of Kingsbury's four seasons. They totaled the sixth-most yards overall in 2020, after ranking 21st in that category in Kingsbury's first season. They ranked No. 8 and No. 22 in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

Quinn, hired last week, also opted to bring in Whitt, who spent the last three seasons as a secondary coach and passing game coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys owned the No. 5 pass defense, and allowed the fifth-fewest yards overall, in the NFL this season. They allowed the eighth-fewest passing yards in 2022 after ranking 20th in that category in 2021.

Whitt, 45, also worked as a secondary coach and passing game coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers. He worked at Auburn, the Citadel and Louisville before moving up to the NFL coaching ranks.

The Commanders ranked No. 24 in yards, No. 18 in passing and No. 27 in rushing under former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy in 2023-24. Second-year quarterback Sam Howell started 17 games during the regular season.

The Commanders own the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and could opt to select one of the top quarterbacks in the class.

University of Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams, who is expected to be one of the first players selected in the draft, reposted a photo of Kingsbury on Sunday night on his Instagram story.

"My dawg, congrats," Williams wrote.

The 2024 NFL Draft will be held from April 25 to 27 in Detroit.