Kliff Kingsbury
QB New York Jets
After his college career at Texas Tech, Kliff Kingsbury entered professional football as an undrafted quarterback in the NFL. In 2003, he was with the New England Patriots, mainly on the practice squad and injured reserve. Even though he did not play a major role on the field, he was part of the organization during their early 2000s success period and was associated with a Super Bowl-winning roster.
In the following years, Kingsbury’s NFL playing career remained limited.
He had brief stints with several teams, including time with the New York
Jets, where he appeared in a single regular-season game. He struggled
to secure a long-term backup role in the league, as his playing career
never fully transitioned from college success to NFL stability.
Looking for more playing opportunities, Kingsbury went overseas to NFL
Europe. In 2006, he played for the Cologne Centurions, where he was one
of the more recognizable American quarterbacks in the league. That season
marked the final phase of his professional playing career.
After retiring as a player, Kingsbury quickly moved into coaching. He
began as a graduate assistant at Texas Tech in 2008, where his coaching
path started to take shape. He then worked his way up through offensive
coaching roles, including offensive coordinator positions at Houston and
Texas A&M, where he became known for his aggressive “Air Raid”
offensive philosophy.
In 2013, he became head coach at Texas Tech, returning to his alma mater.
Over six seasons, he developed a reputation as a quarterback developer
and an innovative offensive mind, even though his teams had mixed results
in terms of wins and losses.
His NFL coaching breakthrough came in 2019 when he became head coach of
the Arizona Cardinals.
There, he helped develop quarterback Kyler Murray and implemented a
modern, fast-paced offense. However, despite early optimism, the team
struggled with consistency, and he was eventually dismissed after the
2022 season.
After a short period away from NFL head coaching, Kingsbury worked as
an offensive analyst at USC, helping with quarterback development and
scheme design. In 2024, he returned to the NFL as the offensive coordinator
for the Washington Commanders, where he was brought in to modernize and
stabilize the offense.
As of today, he is still active in coaching, regarded as a specialist
in quarterback development and spread-offense systems, with his career
path firmly shifted from player to long-term offensive strategist in professional
football.
