Kliff Kingsbury is available in the coaching market
Kliff Kingsbury was fired by the Arizona Cardinals Monday following four seasons in which he made the playoffs one time. Kingsbury might not get a head coaching job in the NFL soon, but he will be a hot commodity in the assistant market this offseason. The Chicago Bears would do themselves and Justin Fields a disservice if they didn’t look into hiring Kingsbury to help with the passing attack.
The Bears have not yet announced the firing of any staff members. And it’s more likely than not that offensive coordinator Luke Getsy will be back for the Bears next season, as general manager, Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus might be more lenient with the staff because the team was predicted to struggle with the roster.
However, after the Bears earned the worst record in the league, everything should be on the table this offseason, including coaching jobs. One could argue his conservative approach at the end of games cost the Bears a few games Eberflus was trying to win.
The Bears need to rethink their offensive strategy
Poles and Eberflus inherited an interesting situation when they came to Chicago last season. The former regime had left them with older pieces that were brought in for a championship run in 2018. They also had the most dead cap space in the league, and a quarterback they didn’t draft was heading into his second season.
When they put together last year’s team, Poles and Eberflus had every right to be skeptical of Justin Fields. Poles disregarded Fields’ talents last offseason during free agency and the draft. It’s quite possible Getsy was brought in to install a running first offense to build a San Francisco 49ers-type outside zone running scheme while the Bears decided if Fields or a future quarterback would manage his system.
It was clear that Fields struggled with the system early in the season. And it wasn’t until Fields had permission to abandon both Getsy’s playbook and Poles’ make-believe pass-blocking roster that the Ohio State star put the NFL on notice. It was then that point Poles traded for Chase Claypool, so Fields had something to progress with. (Poles still isn’t satisfied with Fields passing game, and we’re going to hear about that until draft day.)
Kliff Kingsbury would fit Fields talents
If Poles and Eberflus want to build around Fields’ strengths, they should hire an offensive coordinator who knows how to elevate those strengths. Kingsbury has a decade of working with quarterbacks and helping them to become elite. His college quarterback tree includes Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, Johnny Manziel, Case Keenum, and Davis Webb. Kingsbury helped Kyler Murray transition into the NFL and become a pro bowl quarterback.
Kingsbury hasn’t shown success as a head coach. But Kingsbury has damn well shown he can find quarterback talent, coach those athletes, and create explosive offenses. His offenses have been outstanding as well in the NFL. The Cardinals’ offense struggled this season, but they had a lot of injuries, including Murray.
One of his best knacks in working with quarterbacks is to help them elevate what they’re good at. Kingsbury doesn’t coach them to be the prototypical quarterback, which hinders some players. Manziel, Mayfield, and Mahomes all have something critically important that’s in common with Fields. They’re mobile quarterbacks. There isn’t an assistant coach I’d rather have work with Fields than Kinsbury.
The Bears future
Switching coordinators on Fields this season would be tough for him and the offense. It would be Fields’ third offensive coordinator in as many NFL seasons. Changing coordinators is something former Bears quarterback Jay Cutler said impeded his career.
However, a rumor existed when the Bears’ offense showed signs of life earlier in the season that Getsy has ambitions for a head coaching gig. He might be gone soon anyways. Good, the Bears will not want his complicated offense around for their Super Bowl run. If Chase Claypool can’t be brought up to speed in a tank year, what would make one think an Odell Beckham Jr.-type midseason free agency signing would help the Bears when they’re Super Bowl contenders?
Kliff Kingsbury, who has been fired from two head coaching jobs, will not likely be a head coaching candidate for a few years. He could bring long-term stability to Fields and the Bears’ offense. After decades of dismal run-first offenses, why not bring the Air Raid to the Windy City?
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