Connect with us
Burn+

Arizona Cardinals

Is Arizona the issue? Commanders OC continues to thrive away from Cardinals

© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals ran Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury out of the The Valley two seasons ago after the former Cardinals’ head coach failed to make any substantial progression within the franchise during his four-year tenure.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

Kingsbury had plenty of success before the Cardinals, earning the job as Arizona’s leader with an impressive college coaching career. As the Commanders continue to push through the NFL Playoffs, displaying pure offensive dominance, maybe it’s time to admit Kingsbury wasn’t the problem.

Washington and Kingsbury are headed to the NFC Championship following a 45-31 victory over the Detroit Lions Saturday. It will be offensive coordinator’s first time playing in the game as a coach.

This season was a year of first for Kingsbury, marking his best regular season record and the first time earning playoff wins as an NFL coach.

The Commanders finished the regular season 12-5, besting Kingsbury’s most successful season as a Cardinal at a 11-6 during the 2020-2021 season. That was also the only time he appeared in the playoffs as a Cardinal, quickly being booted out by NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wildcard.

A head coaching role may have been too much for the offensive coordinator to handle, being given the keys to Arizona at 39 years old with no NFL coaching experience. The Cardinals may have jumped the gun giving him so much responsibility so quickly, but what has never wavered throughout his entire career is his offensive knowledge, especially when it comes to quarterbacks.

The Valley is calling for veteran quarterback Kyler Murray’s head after another disappointing season, but let’s not forget he played his greatest years under Kingsbury.

Murray and Kingsbury stepped into Arizona at the same time and seemed like a match made in heaven. Under quarterback whisperer’s guidance, Murray earned the 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and was named to Pro Bowls in 2020 and 2021. Kingsbury was fired by the Cardinals after the 2022 season. Murray hasn’t had a postseason honor since.

Now with the Commanders, the QB guru is doing the same thing with Washington 2024 first round draft pick Jayden Daniels.

Daniels should be the unanimous NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, preparing to join one of five quarterbacks in NFL history to play in the NFC Championship.

The rookie finished the regular season with 3,568 passing yards, completing 331-480 passes (69%) for 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He was one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the league, rushing for the second most yards (891) and tied for third most touchdowns on the ground (6) out of all QBs. His 567 pass yards and four passing touchdowns in the postseason are currently in first place in the playoffs.

As if Daniels and Murray weren’t enough to brag about, Kingsbury has a long list of memorable NFL talent he’s worked with along the way on his rise to the pros.

He worked with former NFL quarterback Case Keenum for the duration of his four-year career at the University, where Keenum would break the all-time career Division I FBS passing yards record (19,217) before becoming an NFL journeyman. From there, Kingsbury elevated to Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator in 2012, where he was controversial college football phenom Johnny Manziel’s play caller during his Heisman trophy season. After one season with the Aggies, he would be given the keys as Texas Tech’s head coach, molding some of the biggest names in the league today.

Kingsbury’s first season as a Red Raider in 2013 was the world’s introduction to current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield. Mayfield earned the starting role as a walk-on true freshman, but eventually lost his job to quarterback Davis Webb due to an injury. Mayfield would transfer the ensuing year, going on to win the Heisman Trophy in 2017 and being selected as the first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Webb would play three seasons for Texas Tech before transferring to Cal for his senior year. He would be drafted in the third round of the 2017 draft by the New York Giants, spending the entirety of his career as a backup. He is currently the quarterbacks coach for the Denver Broncos.

Webb was replaced by a blossoming quarterback that you might know: Patrick Mahomes.

Kingsbury benched a two-year starting QB with NFL talent for a freshman who was a three-star high school prospect — the man has an eye for talent.

After spending three seasons under Kingsbury, Mahomes made his way to the pros as the Kansas City Chiefs’ first pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, and well…you know the rest. He’s far beyond earning the status of being a franchise NFL quarterback — he’s already trending to be the greatest ever.

The Commanders’ coach rolodex is so loaded, he’s even worked with 2022 Heisman winner and 2024 first pick in the draft Caleb Williams during his interim year away from the league as an offensive analyst at USC.

You can’t say that when it comes to the offensive side of the ball and quarterbacks, Kingsbury knows what he’s talking about. He’s turned QBs into superstars at every stop he’s been at, including Arizona.

While he prepares for the Philadelphia Eagles for the Commanders’ NFC Championship match Sunday, Cardinals fans with absolutely nothing to do in terms of football can contemplate the reality that maybe the Cardinals organization was the problem the whole time.

The Cardinals’ Curse? Kingsbury finds new life in Washington

*Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, and exclusive content. SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*

Reporter Jordyn Bennett covers the Arizona Cardinals, Arizona State, Phoenix area sports and sports related topics. You can follow him on his X account, @j_bennett_live

Related Topics

Burn City Radio

More in Arizona Cardinals