Kliff Kingsbury and his “nice college offense” are looking strong for the Washington Commanders.
Kyler Murray, the quarterback for the Cardinals, knows well the ups and downs that Kingsbury’s coaching can bring. Kingsbury, who is now the offensive coordinator in Washington, was Murray’s head coach from 2019 to 2022 when they were both with the Cardinals.
This Sunday, the Commanders (2-1) will visit the Cardinals (1-2) for a reunion. Murray is staying focused and not letting the moment overwhelm him.
“To be honest, I’ve done it before,” Murray said. “I’ve competed against him before and many other coaches that I’ve been coached by. It doesn’t really affect me. My goal is to go out and win the game.”
Kingsbury became the head coach of the Cardinals in 2019, mainly because the team wanted someone to help develop Murray, who was picked first overall from Oklahoma.
Kingsbury had a mix of successes and challenges during his four seasons and was let go after a disappointing 4-13 record in 2022.
However, there were bright spots. The Cardinals had an 11-win season in 2021 and made the playoffs, although they lost to the Rams in the wild-card round. Under Kingsbury, Murray was selected for two Pro Bowls, and at times, the coach’s Air Raid-style offense worked really well.
Kingsbury mentioned that it has been enjoyable to see Murray grow from a distance.
“At the end of last year, you could see the confidence getting back in his knee,” Kingsbury said. “He made a bunch of big plays and played really well.
He’s played great this season. They are a couple plays away from being undefeated. You see the speed, the quickness, the competitive nature is there.
“He’s a guy that I basically banked my entire career on what he would be. I still believe in it. It’s cool to see him playing well.”
