Former Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury has turned down an NFL return in favour of a one-way ticket to Thailand.
Kingsbury was fired after a poor year in which the Cardinals finished the 2022 campaign with a 3-14 record. The move to let him go ended Kingsbury’s time in Arizona after four seasons where he posted a 28-37-1 record.
The 43-year-old signed a lucrative extension with the Cardinals last offseason and will continue to get paid by the team through the 2027 season. Many thought he was set to accept a move to another franchise in an assistant role, but it appears Kingsbury has other ideas.
According to FOX Sports’ Peter Schrager, multiple teams contacted Kingsbury with a view to offering him the offensive coordinator role, but he is not interested in interviewing at the moment. He isn’t even in the United States, as Kingsbury has reportedly bought a one-way ticket to Thailand.
It’s unclear why he chose Thailand to spend his off time, but it’s evident that the former Cardinals boss is in no rush to return to the sideline. Kingsbury is believed to have told any approaches he does not want to return to the NFL so soon after leaving Arizona.
There are several teams with an offensive coordinator opening, including the New York Jets, New England Patriots, Washington Commanders, Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Rams. Other teams will also have opportunities arise as the offseason unfolds and offensive staff changes are implemented.
Kingsbury has ties to the Patriots as he was a former backup quarterback in New England, while he is also a good friend of Rams head coach Sean McVay. He is highly-regarded around the league for his offensive pedigree.
Before transitioning to the NFL, Kingsbury coached Texas Tech for six seasons, posting a 35–40 record. He joined the Cardinals ahead of the 2019 season and led the franchise to successive top 10 finishes in total yards in 2020 and 2021.
