PHILADELPHIA – Kliff Kingsbury, known for his association with the Air Raid Offense under Mike Leach, interviewed for the offensive coordinator position with the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday, according to reports. Kingsbury, currently serving as USC’s senior offensive analyst, is being considered as a potential replacement for Brian Johnson, who held the position last season.
During his tenure as head coach at Texas Tech from 2013 to 2018, Kingsbury coached star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He later joined USC’s staff under Lincoln Riley, who previously coached Jalen Hurts at Oklahoma in 2019.
Kingsbury is no stranger to the high-flying pass-first offense. He set seven NCAA records during his time as a quarterback at Texas Tech in the late 1990s and early 2000s, playing under Leach’s guidance.
Before his coaching career, Kingsbury played briefly in the NFL for the New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos, New York Jets, and Buffalo Bills. He also had stints in the World League and CFL.
In 2008, Kingsbury began his coaching journey at Houston as an offensive quality control coach. He quickly rose through the ranks to become the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Kevin Sumlin.
When Sumlin moved to Texas A&M in 2012, Kingsbury followed him. After a year at A&M, Kingsbury returned to his alma mater, Texas Tech, as the head coach. However, he was let go after the 2018 season.
Kingsbury joined USC as the offensive coordinator but abruptly left to become the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, replacing Steve Wilks, who was fired after one season. Despite a record of 28-37-1 during his four years as the Cardinals’ head coach, Kingsbury’s teams had strong offensive performances in 2020 and 2021.
Notably, Kingsbury’s offensive philosophy aligns with Leach’s Air Raid offense, which heavily emphasizes passing. In Arizona, the Cardinals ranked seventh in the NFL in terms of passes thrown during Kingsbury’s tenure.
Back in 2022, Kingsbury praised the Eagles’ head coach, Nick Sirianni, during a conference call with Philadelphia media. He commended Sirianni and offensive coordinator Shane Steichen for effectively utilizing Jalen Hurts’ skills and fostering a positive team culture.
The Eagles’ offense had a successful season, ranking eighth in the NFL. However, they struggled to score in their final seven games, culminating in their wild-card loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
If hired, Kingsbury would become the third offensive coordinator for the Eagles in three years. The team had a successful 2022 season under Steichen, who has since become the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts.
The Eagles’ search for a new offensive coordinator comes as they aim to maintain and improve their offensive success for the upcoming season.