While the Las Vegas Raiders are rumored to be close to naming their new general manager, all indications point to owner Mark Davis hiring interim head coach Antonio Pierce as their next permanent coach.
Since Pierce is a defensive-minded coach and has never been a coordinator or head coach in the NFL, interest in his eventual choice for offensive coordinator has created a buzz.
On Monday, radio host Colin Cowherd, citing an anonymous source with the Raiders, said if Pierce does get the job, he could bring in former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury as his new offensive coordinator.
Kliff Kingsbury has been rumored to be interviewing with the Chicago Bears and for various open college football jobs as well. He spent the 2023 college football season as the senior offensive analyst and quarterbacks coach for the USC Trojans, where he coached Caleb Williams, the likely overall first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Williams declared for the NFL Draft on Monday as well.
Related: Las Vegas Raiders coaching candidates
Kliff Kingsbury turned college success into NFL head coaching job
Kliff Kingsbury spent 10 years as a college coach before taking the job with the Cardinals in 2019. He was fired after the 2022 season after going 28-27-1 in four years in Arizona.
While the coach at Texas Tech, Kingsbury coached NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes and now may have to face his former player twice a year in the AFC West if he joins the Raiders.
Pierce is the rumored favorite to win the Raiders job after he took over for the fired Josh McDaniels midseason. Pierce finished 5-4, going 3-1 in the AFC West and beating the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas.
His team also set a franchise record for most points scored in a game when the Raiders beat the Los Angeles Chargers 63-20 this season.
Related: Las Vegas Raiders coaching candidates
With Kliff Kingsbury, Raiders could draft another quarterback
Kliff Kingsbury is known for his high-powered offenses both at Texas Tech and with Kyler Murray at Arizona. The Raiders need all the help they can get as their offense finished near the bottom of the NFL in scoring.
Bringing in Kingsbury could also indicate the Raiders will pursue a new quarterback in the draft. Fourth-round rookie Aidan O’Connell did moderately well but is not viewed as the long-time answer at the position.
This offseason Las Vegas is expected to release veteran Jimmy Garoppolo, who played poorly before being benched for O’Connell after Pierce took the reins.