Kliff Kingsbury didn’t divulge much Thursday; can you blame him?
Kingsbury has been the object of cheap shots by national media, and even some Commanders fans are unhappy he is the new offensive coordinator.
Just last week at the Super Bowl row, Damon Amendolara, when asked about Kingsbury, declared, “I think he is the biggest fraud in football.”
Most likely aware of the unfair criticisms, it should not have been altogether surprising when he indirectly reminded everyone he is not the head coach as he was with the Cardinals.
“Being able to just focus on the offense will be great. Dan has a bunch on his plate. I’ve sat in that seat. … To be able to back up and do that again is exciting. I’m ready to get to work.”
Kingsbury is not the biggest fraud in football. Thus, he was clear it is not as simplistic as coaching a system; it is coaching players.
“Being able to adapt to your personnel, do what you do best and not ask them to do what they can’t…You got to be able to run the football in four-minute and throw it in two-minute.”
Did you catch that? Kingsbury was letting everyone know he is fully aware you can not simply come out in 5-wide, empty backfield and throw all day. He’s not stupid as some have simplistically implied.
Kingsbury displayed a sense of humor as well. When asked about what he looks for in quarterbacks: “The Chiefs quarterback.” But he also followed that up, saying he desires his quarterback to be the hardest worker on the team.
Was that a not-so-subtle hint concerning his previous problems with Kyler Murray and Murray not wanting to work hard enough to earn the respect of coaches and players?
Last week, one talking TV “expert” even suggested that Kingsbury was brought to Washington, indicating the Commanders will be trading up for USC QB Caleb Williams.
Really? Don’t they know that Kingsbury was brought to Washington to work with whichever quarterback they choose at No. 2 in late April?
So when questions arose regarding his coaching Williams last season, “He’s a great kid, no doubt. Just getting to watch Lincoln [Riley] from afar and observe him and how he does things was huge. … Really diving back into the everyday teaching … this allowed me to get back into that.”
Kingsbury was quite composed throughout Thursday. He was clearly a step ahead of the media, divulging only what he wanted to express.