Could Commanders' OC Kliff Kingsbury reunite with Caleb Williams in Chicago?

The Washington Commanders have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2024 NFL season. At 7-3 entering a "Thursday Night Football" clash with NFC East foe Philadelphia, the Commanders are on track to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020 in the first year of head coach Dan Quinn's tenure.

Though Quinn's specialty is on defense, the offense is the primary reason for the Commanders' success. Washington has a top-five offense for the first time since 2012 - a team that famously had current NFL coaches Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur, Mike McDaniel, and Raheem Morris on staff.

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Like that 2012 team with Robert Griffin III, this year's offense is helmed by a rookie quarterback selected No. 2 overall after winning the Heisman Trophy. Jayden Daniels is a top-10 passer by most categories this season and leads the team in rushing yards through 10 games.

The man behind this year's offense is former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury. Here's what he's done this year - and where he could coach next season.

Commanders' stats with Kingsbury

The Cardinals fired Kingsbury in January 2023 after a 4-13 record, his fourth with the team. He spent the 2023 season in the college ranks as a senior offensive analyst with the USC Trojans under Lincoln Riley.

Four days after hiring Quinn as head coach, Washington hired Kingsbury as the team's new offensive coordinator. He's one of two Washington assistants with head coaching experience, the other being run game coordinator and running backs coach Anthony Lynn.

Entering Week 11, here's how the Commanders rank league-wide offense by standard metrics:

• Points scored: 3rd

• Yards: 4th

• Turnovers committed: 1st (fewest)

• Passing yards: 11th

• Passing touchdowns: 23rd

• Rushing yards: 4th

• Rushing touchdowns: 1st

• Third-down conversions: 5th (44.7%)

By advanced metrics, the Commanders have one of the most efficient offenses in the league. Here's how they rank with expected points added (EPA) data from SumerSports:

• EPA/play: 2nd (0.17)

• Success rate: 3rd (47.9%)

• EPA/pass: 2nd (0.22)

• EPA/rush: 1st (0.14)

These numbers all paint a clear picture: Washington's offense is one of the most prolific and efficient in the league, and Kingsbury is at the helm.

Kliff Kingsbury and Caleb Williams

The Chicago Bears drafted quarterback Caleb Williams ahead of Daniels with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Chicago's in the midst of a three-game losing streak and fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron Tuesday.

Chicago interviewed Kingsbury for the vacant offensive coordinator position in the offseason before hiring Waldron. Kingsbury coached Williams in the top pick's final season at USC.

The Bears and Commanders faced off in Week 8, with Washington winning on the game's final play. Leading up to the game, the two were complimentary of each other.

"Great guy, great coach," Williams said. "You go over there and ask all the players and they say they love him probably because he's a player coach. Knowing him, knowing how much he loves football, brings joy to his players."

"Tremendous person, competitor," Kingsbury said of Williams. "It was a foregone conclusion that he'd be the first pick for a long time... [he's] a tremendous competitor, wants to be great, works at it, and just insane talent. Some of the freaky like Mahomes-type throws he can make and the vision, extending plays."

With the Bears on pace to miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year, Chicago could change the coaching staff. Kingsbury would likely be high on the list of head coach candidates.

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Kliff Kingsbury coaching record

Kingsbury spent four seasons as head coach with the Arizona Cardinals and went 28-37-1 in the regular season and 0-1 in the postseason.

• 2019 (5-10-1)

  • Offense: 16th in points, 21st in yards; 10th in rushing, 24th in passing

  • Defense: 28th in points, 32nd in yards; 24th in rushing, 31st in passing

• 2020 (8-8):

  • Offense: 13th in points, 6th in yards; 7th in rushing, 17th in passing

  • Defense: 12th in points, 13th in yards; 22nd in rushing, 10th in passing

• 2021 (11-6):

  • Offense: 11th in points, 8th in yards; 10th in rushing, 10th in passing

  • Defense: 11th in points, 11th in yards; 20th in rushing, 7th in passing

• 2022 (4-13):

  • Offense: 21st in points, 22nd in yards; 22nd in rushing, 18th in passing

  • Defense: 31st in points, 21st in yards; 14th in rushing, 24th in passing

Like Quinn, Kingsbury could parlay this strong rebound as a coordinator into a second head coaching stint in the NFL.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kliff Kingsbury landing spots: Will he reunite with Caleb Williams?