Magic Johnson Swayed Kliff Kingsbury to Commanders

Kliff Kingsbury is now with the Washington Commanders, partially thanks to Magic Johnson.

ARIZONA -- It was quite the week for former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who interviewed and eventually accepted a job to become the Las Vegas Raiders' new offensive coordinator.

Both sides felt like it was all but a formality to sign the paperwork - before Kingsbury backed out and soon spoke with the Washington Commanders for their opening before accepting the job. 

It was a whirlwind of a process that has now ultimately cooled down, leaving plenty of questions as to why Kingsbury changed his mind and what may have triggered the decision. 

NFL insider Ian Rapoport says Magic Johnson - a partner with Washington - played a major role in landing Kingsbury:

“When you a defensive coach like Dan Quinn, the No. 1 question is, ‘Who is going to be your offensive coordinator?' This is as big as it gets for the Washington Commanders. To look at the flip that happened when he was with the Raiders, my understanding is Magic Johnson - who is a limited partner with the Commanders - was actually the one to step in and kind of pull Kliff Kingsbury back and go, ‘You know what if this deal with the Raiders isn’t perfect, maybe there’s a home for you in Washington.'”

Full clip:

From Super Bowl Live with @TomPelissero from Radio Row: Breaking down the key injuries this week, how Magic Johnson stepped in and helped the #Commanders land Kliff Kingsbury and Ron Rivera interviews with the #Cowboys today. pic.twitter.com/8tg7QMKNbI

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 5, 2024

Kingsbury spent this past season coaching quarterback Caleb Williams at USC. The Commanders have the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Many expected Kingsbury to find an NFL job after being fired from the Cardinals at the end of 2022. He interviewed with the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles on top of the Commanders/Raiders gigs.