Bears to interview Kliff Kingsbury for OC vacancy

The Chicago Bears have taken a big step hinting toward a specific franchise-altering decision in the coming months. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bears are set to interview USC assistant coach Kliff Kingsbury for their vacant offensive coordinator job. Kingsbury, the former Arizona Cardinals head coach, worked as a senior offensive assistant and quarterbacks […]

Charles Goldman — NFL Managing Editor

Jan 18, 2024 2:12 PM EST

The Chicago Bears have taken a big step hinting toward a specific franchise-altering decision in the coming months.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bears are set to interview USC assistant coach Kliff Kingsbury for their vacant offensive coordinator job. Kingsbury, the former Arizona Cardinals head coach, worked as a senior offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach at USC, where he coached 2024 NFL draft prospect at QB, Caleb Williams.

Should Kingsbury become the offensive coordinator in Chicago, it almost guarantees that there will be big changes at the quarterback position in 2024. The Bears hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, giving them their choice of draft-eligible quarterbacks, with Williams being considered the top prospect by many evaluators.

Former Cardinals’ HC Kliff Kingsbury, a senior offensive analyst and quarterbacks coach at USC, is expected to interview for the Chicago Bears’ offensive coordinator job, per sources. Kingsbury’s USC QB Caleb Williams is expected to receive strong consideration to become the… pic.twitter.com/kVFaI65sCp
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 18, 2024

Bears QB Justin Fields, the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, played better down the stretch during the 2023 NFL season boasting his best completion percentage and TD-INT ratio of his NFL career. However, adding Kingsbury to the coaching roster would suggest that Fields is on his way out in Chicago. He could be on a collision course for a trade that sends him to another quarterback-needy team.

As for Kingsbury's reputation, he's known as a bit of a quarterback guru. He's credited with developing Patrick Mahomes at the college level as his coach at Texas Tech. His NFL head-coaching tenure in Arizona didn't end well, but he's produced at the college level every step of the way.

This past season, Kingsbury helped coach Williams to one of the best seasons in his college career. The junior completed 266 passes for 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Williams won the Heisman Trophy the year prior, leading USC to an 11-3 season as a Sophomore in 2022.