Report: Cardinals finalizing HC deal with Kingsbury

FILE PHOTO: Nov 17, 2018; Manhattan, KS, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Kliff Kingsbury questions a call by the officials during the first quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports – 11688016

The Arizona Cardinals are finalizing a deal with recently hired USC offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury to be their next head coach, according to a report Tuesday from Peter Schrager of Fox Sports and NFL Network.

Kingsbury, 39, reportedly interviewed for the New York Jets’ head-coaching vacancy on Monday night, and then traveled to spend Tuesday morning meeting with the Cardinals. This will be his first NFL coaching job.

A former NFL quarterback with 11 years of experience on college coaching staffs, Kingsbury was fired as the head coach at Texas Tech in November after compiling a 35-40 record in six seasons (2013-18).

The Trojans hired Kingsbury as offensive coordinator for head coach Clay Helton in early December, but he quickly wound up on NFL teams’ radar. Per reports, USC initially blocked Kingsbury from interviewing for NFL jobs before being allowed to do so early this week.

Kingsbury tutored potential NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs during his Texas Tech tenure.

The Cardinals parted ways with head coach Steve Wilks last week after one season. Arizona finished with the NFL’s worst record in 2018 at 3-13.

—Field Level Media

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source: reuters.com