Commanders hiring Kliff Kingsbury, Joe Whitt Jr. as coordinators

The Commanders have locked down their two coordinators.

Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury has agreed to terms with the Washington Commanders to become the team’s next offensive coordinator, NFL Network’s Peter Schrager reported Sunday, per a source.

Shortly after, NFL Network’s Steve Wyche reported that Commanders are hiring Cowboys secondary coach and defensive passing game coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. as defensive coordinator.

Whitt Jr. serves as a familiar face for head coach Dan Quinn to begin his turnaround efforts in Washington, as the two worked together in Dallas for the past three years, each time producing a top-five defense in points allowed.

Their abilities will be much needed for a Washington unit that ranked last in the NFL in both points and yards allowed in 2023.

Kingsbury, who went 28-37-1 with Arizona from 2019-2022, was expected to join the Raiders as their OC earlier this week, but he backed out of the position after contract negotiations fell apart, according to Schrager.

He is instead set to make his NFL return back in the NFC.

Kingsbury spent the past year with USC as an offensive analyst and quarterbacks coach, working with Caleb Williams.

A respected offensive mind with time also spent mentoring NFL talents like Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield while coaching at Texas Tech, Kingsbury has much to prove after his four years with the Cardinals.

Although his QB, Kyler Murray, was a two-time Pro Bowler under his tutelage, Arizona made the playoffs just once, and twice had a bottom-12 ranked scoring offense.

Just as he was with Murray, he’ll be entrusted in helping to unlock whomever the Commanders elect to go with under center in a new era under Quinn.

The job in Washington comes with its challenges. The Commanders haven’t fared better than 23rd in scoring since 2017, and although there are pieces like wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson available, QB is a major question mark.

Sam Howell faded badly down the stretch as a first-year starter to lead the NFL with 21 interceptions. He only has a fifth-round pedigree, and he was a pick by the previous regime.

There will be options in free agency, but the Commanders also hold the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming draft to address the situation.

Whoever they ultimately go with will surely be the most pivotal piece to building Kingsbury’s new offense.