Report: Kliff Kingsbury expected to interview with Bears |
It's no secret that the Bears have a strong list of candidates for their OC job. While this list may not be as deep as many expected it to be, most of the guys mentioned have had past success on the offensive coaching staffs of their former team or come from the Sean McVay and Kyle Shannahan tree.
Both those coaches are known for having some of the most successful staffs in the game, but they also put together some of the more complex schemes in the NFL. At some point, fans knew the Chicago Bears would be forced to make some tough decisions this offseason, and perhaps the toughest of all falls on that No. 1 pick. Should the Bears elect to hang on to Justin Fields, then a foregone conclusion is that they will trade away that top pick to add more assets. Should they indeed trade Fields, which is a common idea right now by the media, the Bears are not only giving up on Fields but are willing to put their future in the hands of a rookie. Drake Maye and Caleb Williams would be the most likely options at No. 1, but from all accounts Williams is the guy going No. 1 overall and could become the Bears' next starting QB. However, a starting QB is only as good as the coaches around and even if you add Williams, he will still have a little success. That is where Kliff Kingsbury comes into play, as the Bears have reportedly contacted him for an interview. Not only that, but Kingsbury appears to have mutual interest after being fired from Arizona last season and is expected to interview for the Bears OC gig. What makes this potential significant is a few reasons and it all starts with him being one of the better offensive minds in the game. Say what you will about his time as a head coach at Texas Tech and Arizona, but one thing he did well was turn out great offenses. He played a massive part in Patrick Mahomes' success and then went on to help Kyler Murray have some of his best years as a player. The bottom line is Kingsbury may not be head coach material in the NFL, but he sure knows how to call a game. What makes this interview all the more intriguing is the potential backlash that comes with it, as the Bears could reveal their offseason plans before doing anything. After his departure from Arizona, Kingsbury left the country for a few weeks and was expected to stay away from coaching. That was until Lincoln Riley and USC called and made him an offer he couldn't refuse. He then became the Senior Offensive analyst and QB coach for the Trojans, where he worked hand in hand with, you guessed it, Williams. That is where things get interesting. If the Bears are sold on Fields and are willing to do what it takes to keep him around, one of the eight candidates they have interviewed thus far would be the right man for the job. If they are not sold on Fields and plan to look at the draft as their option, Kingsbury makes too much sense not to bring in. When you look at Williams, the tape doesn't lie, as he is the most gifted quarterback to come out of college since Andrew Luck. He will instantly step in and be the team leader and could be the Bears' answer for a franchise QB. The best chance to get the best from Williams on day one is to put a system around him that suits his strengths. That is why he followed Riley from Oklahoma to USC in the first place, and the pair worked well. Kingsbury may not be the head coach at USC, but with him being the QB coach, the two work well together, and should they be paired together in the NFL, good things can happen. Although the Trojans endured a rough season, it wasn't Williams' fault as he threw for 3633 yards to go with 30 touchdowns and five interceptions. Compare that to his Heisman-winning season when he had 4537 yards with 42 TDs and 5 INTs, and you can see how dynamic he was. Even before he arrived at USC, Williams put up great numbers in his lone season as a starter in Oklahoma, where he tossed for 1912 with 21 TDs and four INTs. That comes out to be 10082 yards in just three seasons with 93 TDs and 14 INTs. Anytime you have a QB putting up those numbers, it has franchise guy written all over it and the Bears would kill for a franchise QB. Granted, all this could change if Kingsbury doesn't interview or isn't hired, but the fact that he is coming to town to do an interview has people around Halas Hall wondering if the Bears have already decided on Fields. 🚨NEWS: Kliff Kingsbury will interview for the Chicago #Bears offensive coordinator job tomorrow, per @AdamSchefter. Kliff Kingsbury is expected to interview for the Chicago Bears offensive coordinator job#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/ktuBS8Ut8r
Kingsbury coached potential No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams this past season at USC 👀https://t.co/8CMvR2saHo pic.twitter.com/g5HsNolUx4
