Last offseason, after leading one of the best offenses in the NFL, former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was the most intriguing head coaching option available. It felt as if he could have whichever opening he wanted, and yet, he elected to pass on all of them, sticking with Detroit in a coordinator role for another season.
That decision wound up paying off, as Johnson led arguably the best offense in the NFL this past season, and got the Chicago Bears head coaching job. Say what you want about Chicago's history and how tough the NFC North is, but getting to coach Caleb Williams on a rookie contract on a team that has several other intriguing pieces as well sounds appealing.
With all but one of the head coaching vacancies filled, Kliff Kingsbury is looking like the most intriguing candidate for the New Orleans Saints to consider. Rather than jumping at that opportunity, Kingsbury should follow the Johnson path and wait for the right option to present itself.
Kliff Kingsbury has every reason to wait for right HC offer, much like Ben Johnson did
Kingsbury has completely salvaged his reputation. The 45-year-old was unimpressive, to say the least, in his first head coaching stint with the Arizona Cardinals, going 28-37-1 in four seasons. He made the playoffs just once and lost that year in the Wild Card Round. He made the move back to College Football for a year before landing the Washington Commanders offensive coordinator role last offseason. His first season with Washington has been a resounding success.
The Commanders ranked fifth in points per game and seventh in yards per game this past season. Obviously, Jayden Daniels deserves immense credit for that, but Kingsbury is the one who set him and that Washington offense up for the success it has had. Not only did the Commanders unexpectedly make the playoffs, but they've made it to the NFC Championship Game after pulling off a pair of road upsets against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions.
Kingsbury absolutely should be considered for head coaching openings, but the Saints job is as unappealing as it gets.
They might play in the NFC South and do have a somewhat decent veteran quarterback in Derek Carr, but why else would he go there? The Saints have the worst cap situation in the NFL by a wide margin, an old roster, and no easy way toward getting a quarterback good enough to win a Super Bowl.
Kingsbury is better off leading the Commanders to great things once again in 2025, and seeing what options are out there for him that offseason. Jumping at an opening just because it is there is an easy way for him to get fired quickly when things inevitably go south. His resume is impressive enough to the point where he should get to pick his landing spot. The Saints, obviously, would not be anywhere near the top of anyone's wish list.