TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals are expected to hire former Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury to be their next head coach, sources confirmed to ESPN.
The 39-year-old Kingsbury will replace Steve Wilks, who was fired on Dec. 31 after one season in Arizona, during which he went 3-13. Kingsbury was fired by Texas Tech on Nov. 25 after seven seasons, including six as head coach, and was hired by USC to be its offensive coordinator on Dec. 5.
Kingsbury also interviewed with the New York Jets for their head-coaching vacancy.
In Kingsbury, the Cardinals will hire a coach with a reputation for having success with quarterbacks.
Kingsbury, a former Red Raiders quarterback who won the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the country’s best collegiate QB in 2002, has coached the likes of Kansas City’s Pat Mahomes, Denver’s Case Keenum, the Giants‘ Davis Webb, the Chargers‘ Nic Shimonek and Johnny Manziel.
In Arizona, he’ll be paired with quarterback Josh Rosen, whom the Cardinals drafted 10th overall in 2018 but who struggled his rookie season, throwing for 2,278 yards, 11 touchdowns and 14 interceptions while completing 55.2 percent of his passes in 14 games. Rosen had four of the top 10 worst Total QBR games in 2018.
Kingsbury spent three years in the NFL, from 2003 to 2005, with the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints and Jets. He completed just two passes in his career for 17 yards, both coming in Week 11 in 2005.
Kingsbury then went on to play in the CFL in 2006 and ’07 before starting his coaching career at the University of Houston in 2008.
NFL Network first reported news of the hire.