Baltimore Sports Today

Baltimore Sports News Continuously Updated

Washington Commanders Coaching Tracker: Kliff Kingsbury is a leading candidate for OC

by

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 23 USC at Arizona State
Photo by Adam Bow/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Tracking Washington’s assistant coach search

Managing partner Josh Harris introduced Adam Peters as the Washington Commanders new GM on Tuesday, January 9th, and he spent the rest of the month searching for his new head coach. That list was slimmed down to 4 candidates after the two youngest OCs on the list decided to stay with their current teams. Cowboys DC Dan Quinn will be named the Commanders next head coach soon, and now he has to assess the previous coaching staff, and then fill out his new staff. The offensive and defensive coordinator positions will be the most important, but he’ll also have to decide if special teams coordinator Nate Kaczor can survive another change at head coach.

There have already been several names linked to Quinn, both from his previous attempts to get another head coaching job, and this year’s round of rumors and reports. Quinn is expected to bring some coaches with him from the Dallas Cowboys, and current DBs coach Joe Whitt has been reported to be his choice for DC in Washington. He is currently the Cowboys passing game coordinator/secondary coach, and is expected to join Quinn’s staff when the hiring becomes official.

One of Washington’s main candidates, the 17-year assistant joined Dallas in 2021. The Cowboys led the league in takeaways in that first year and 2022. The streak ended this season despite Daron Bland’s leading the league in interceptions two years after Diggs.

The offensive coordinator job is considered the most important in Quinn’s new coaching staff. Eric Bieniemy is still under contract with the Commanders for another year, and he received an interview for head coach. He is expected to be replaced after an disappointing season that saw first-year starting QB show promise, but nose-dive in the most pass-happy offense in the NFL. Washington has the #2 pick in this year’s draft, and is expected to draft a new QB. Quinn will need to hit on the OC hire, and develop the QBs on the roster.

San Francisco 49ers passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak has been mentioned several times as a potential hire for Quinn. He is reportedly going to join the New Orleans Saints as their new OC after the Super Bowl. There are several other offensive assistants on Kyle Shanahan’s staff that could get interviewed for Washington’s OC job including QB coach Brian Griese and TEs coach Brian Fleury.

Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury was reportedly signing with the Las Vegas Raiders to be Antonio Pierce’s new offensive coordinator. He reportedly backed out of that deal when contract negotiations broke down. Kingsbury is now considered a leading candidate for Washington’s OC job under new head coach Dan Quinn. Kingsbury spent last season working with top draft pick, QB Caleb Williams, at USC. Washington has the #2 pick in this year’s draft, and would likely have to trade up with the Bears to draft Williams. A Kingsbury hire will fuel a lot of trade up speculation over the next few months.

Stay tuned for the latest updates as they happen

Rumors and reported interest and interviews

Ken Zampese goes to the Falxcons:

Washingtonwill interview former Eagles OC Brian Johnson:

Chip Kelly to the Raiders?:

Washington’s interest in Kingsbury:

Kliff Kingsbury withdraws from Raiders OC job:

Looking at other 49ers offensive assistants:

Saints are expected to hire Klint Kubiak after the Super Bowl:

Coaches with ties to Quinn:

Washington is expected to hire Joe Whitt Jr. for DC:

Adam Schefter names two other Cowboys assistants as potential DCs:

Chip Kelly to return to the NFL with Washington?:

Potential coordinators:

Head of Football Operations

49ers AGM Adam Peters – Hired as GM, 5-year contract

Head Coach

Cowboys DC Dan Quinn

Cowboys current coaching staff

Joe Whitt, secondary/Pass Game coordinator

Al Harris, defensive backs coach

Aden Durde, defensive line coach

Sharrif Floyd, quality control/asst. D-line

Cannon Matthews, asst. defensive backs

Scott McCurley, linebackers coach

Pete Ohnegian, quality control/ defensive assistant

Eric Simonelli, quality control/analytics

Darian Thompson, quality control/asst. LB

Rayna Stewart, asst. special teams

Harold Nash, strength & conditioning coordinator

Cedric Smith, asst. strength & conditioning

Kendall Smith, asst. strength & conditioning