Cardinals Coach Kliff Kingsbury Fired After Four Seasons

The Arizona Cardinals have decided to move on from head coach Kliff Kingsbury after four seasons.

The Arizona Cardinals have fired Kliff Kingsbury according to Ian Rapoport. 

Sources: The #AZCardinals have fired coach Kliff Kingsbury one year after giving him a contract extension. pic.twitter.com/NbefiAPRrh

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 9, 2023

The decision was made after a tumultuous 2022 season concluded with a loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 18. Arizona finished the year on a seven-game losing streak.

The Cardinals will enter the race for a new face at the position alongside the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos. Their next hire will be their fourth coach since 2013. 

Kingsbury now departs the desert after spending four seasons with the organization. He initially arrived on Jan. 8 2019 and helped take the Cardinals from a league-worst three wins to a postseason berth during the 2021 season. 

However, the majority of Kingsbury's faults resided in his ability (or lack thereof) to get Arizona's offense to top flight despite weapons at each skill position and a franchise quarterback in Kyler Murray at the helm.

Operating as both head coach and offensive coordinator, Kingsbury wasn't able to juggle both duties at the pro level. 

Prior to his tenure in Arizona, Kingsbury was heralded as an offensive guru after spending six years at Texas Tech. After being fired, he initially took USC's open offensive coordinator position before eventually stepping down to interview with the New York Jets prior to meeting with the Cardinals. 

His future is unknown at this point, although it's likely he could end up as an offensive coordinator in the NFL or head back to college like his friend Matt Rhule recently did. 

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reports Kingsbury's contract was guaranteed through 2026, so owner Michael Bidwill will be paying Kingsbury out for the next few seasons while also tacking on the next head coach's salary. 

Potential candidates include names such as Sean Payton, Shane Steichen and Vance Joseph among others. 

Arizona may also be in the hunt for a new general manager as well after Steve Keim stepped away for health-related reasons during the season. Bidwill reportedly may opt to keep executives Adrian Wilson and Quentin Harris in-house for what would be a potential "Co-GM" role. 

Change is happening for the Cardinals with more on the horizon.

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