Just Kliffing! Kliff Kingsbury backs out of Raiders OC job

Kliff Kingsbury's return to the NFL was all buttoned up. He was going to take the offensive coordinator position with the Las Vegas Raiders a year after being fired as the Arizona Cardinals head coach.

But with Kliff Kingsbury, you've always got to expect the unexpected.

On Saturday, Adam Schefter revealed via Kingsbury's agent that the coach has "withdrawn himself from consideration for the offensive coordinator job of the Raiders."

Yeah, we're all shocked right there with you...except not really.

Kliff Kingsbury took a job then noped out...again

Kingsbury has pulled a late pivot before. After he was fired by Texas Tech, he was hired as the offensive coordinator at USC under Clay Helton. A month later, he landed the Cardinals head coaching job.

That was a major, and rather shocking, promotion for Kingsbury though. This time, there are no head coaching opportunities for him to jump into. If not the Raiders job, where will Kingsbury end up?

Kingsbury spent the last season, fittingly, back at USC as an analyst for Lincoln Riley. He got to work with presumptive No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Caleb Williams. He could always go back there, living off his massive buyout with the Cardinals until the right job pops up.

The Washington Commanders have an opening for an offensive coordinator under Dan Quinn. With the No. 2 overall pick, that could be an attractive landing spot for someone like Kingsbury.

Kingsbury wasn't a particularly good head coach, but he's still one of the top offensive minds in football. The Raiders had to feel good about landing him to run the offense opposite defense-minded head coach Antonio Pierce. Now they've got to figure out Plan B.

Word on the street is Chip Kelly wants out of UCLA. Maybe it's time to hire a Bruin to replace a Trojan?