Kliff Kingsbury is an American football coach and former NFL quarterback. He played college football at Texas Tech, where he excelled as a passer, before being drafted by the New England Patriots in 2003. After his playing career, he transitioned into coaching in 2008 and currently serves as the offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders.
1925: Sold-Out Season Tickets
The 2014 season was the first time since Texas Tech's inaugural 1925 season that the team sold out its season tickets.
August 9, 1979: Birth of Kliff Kingsbury
Kliff Timothy Kingsbury was born on August 9, 1979.
1998: Start of Texas Tech Career
Kliff Kingsbury began his collegiate football career at Texas Tech in 1998.
1999: Freshman Quarterback Award
In 1999, Kliff Kingsbury, then a freshman quarterback, received recognition for his skills, making Texas Tech the sole Big 12 school to have three different freshman quarterbacks win such an award.
1999: Redshirt Freshman Season
Kliff Kingsbury played in his first collegiate games as a redshirt freshman in 1999.
2000: Historic Passing and Academic Recognition
Kliff Kingsbury achieved rare passing milestones in college football history and received Academic All-Big 12 recognition in 2000.
2000: Starting Quarterback
Kliff Kingsbury became the starting quarterback for Texas Tech in 2000.
2001: All-District and All-Big 12 Selection
Kliff Kingsbury earned All-District and All-Big 12 honors for his performance in 2001.
2001: Graduation from Texas Tech
Kliff Kingsbury graduated from Texas Tech University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in management.
2001: Increased Touchdown Passes
Kliff Kingsbury significantly increased his touchdown passes from 2001 to 2002.
2002: Record-Breaking Season at Texas Tech
Kliff Kingsbury finished his collegiate football career at Texas Tech in 2002, setting several school and conference records.
2002: Dominant Senior Season
Kliff Kingsbury had a standout season in 2002, leading Texas Tech to victories over rivals and a bowl game victory.
2002: Postseason Accolades and Records
Kliff Kingsbury received numerous awards and set multiple records during the 2002 season, including the Sammy Baugh Trophy and breaking his own school records.
2003: Drafted by the Patriots and Super Bowl Ring
Kliff Kingsbury was drafted by the Patriots and earned a Super Bowl ring despite spending the season on injured reserve.
2003: Drafted into the NFL
Kliff Kingsbury was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft.
2003: NCAA Records and Bowl Appearances
Kliff Kingsbury held multiple NCAA passing records in 2003 and led Texas Tech to three bowl games during his time as a starter.
September 6, 2004: Released by the Patriots
Kliff Kingsbury was released by the New England Patriots on September 6, 2004.
2004: New Orleans Saints Practice Squad
Kliff Kingsbury spent the 2004 NFL season on the practice squad for the New Orleans Saints.
September 6, 2005: Signed to Broncos Practice Squad
The Denver Broncos signed Kliff Kingsbury to their practice squad on September 6, 2005.
September 21, 2005: Released from Broncos Practice Squad
Kliff Kingsbury was released from the Denver Broncos practice squad on September 21, 2005.
September 28, 2005: Signed by the New York Jets
Kliff Kingsbury was signed by the New York Jets on September 28, 2005.
November 20, 2005: NFL Debut
Kliff Kingsbury made his NFL debut with the New York Jets on November 20, 2005, against the Denver Broncos.
2005: Loss of His Mother
Kliff Kingsbury's mother, Sally Kingsbury, passed away in 2005 due to soft tissue sarcoma.
2006: Brief Stint with the Buffalo Bills
Kliff Kingsbury was signed by the Buffalo Bills in 2006 but released before the regular season began.
2006: Playing in NFL Europe
The New York Jets allocated Kliff Kingsbury to the Cologne Centurions of NFL Europe in 2006.
March 30, 2007: Signed with Montreal Alouettes
Kliff Kingsbury signed with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL on March 30, 2007.
August 2008: Joining the University of Houston Staff
Kliff Kingsbury started as a quality control coach at the University of Houston in August 2008.
2008: Jace Amaro: Consensus All-American
In 2008, Jace Amaro became the first Red Raider to be named a Consensus All-American since Michael Crabtree.
2008: Transition to Coaching
Kliff Kingsbury began his coaching career in 2008 as a quality control coach at the University of Houston.
2009: Recognition for Offensive Performance
Kliff Kingsbury received acknowledgment for the Houston offense's success with Case Keenum as quarterback in 2009.
2011: Offensive Coordinator at Houston
Kliff Kingsbury served as the offensive coordinator for the Houston Cougars, leading the NCAA in several offensive categories.
2011: Playcalling for a Record-Setting Offense
Kliff Kingsbury took on the role of playcaller for Houston in 2011, leading an offense that topped the NCAA in numerous statistical categories.
December 12, 2012: Head Coach at Texas Tech
On December 12, 2012, Kliff Kingsbury was announced as the head coach for Texas Tech. At 33, he was one of the youngest head coaches in college football at the time.
2012: Offensive Coordinator at Texas A&M
In 2012, Kliff Kingsbury was appointed as the offensive coordinator for Texas A&M, where he coached Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. The Aggies excelled offensively under his guidance, leading the Southeastern Conference in multiple categories.
August 30, 2013: Head Coaching Debut
On August 30, 2013, Kingsbury celebrated a victorious head coaching debut with a 41-23 win over the SMU Mustangs.
September 12, 2013: Texas Tech's Top 25 Ranking
On September 12, 2013, under Kingsbury's leadership, the Red Raiders entered the Associated Press Top 25, marking the earliest a first-year coach at Texas Tech achieved this ranking.
October 19, 2013: 7-0 Start
Kingsbury's success continued as he led the Red Raiders to a 7-0 start after a victory against West Virginia on October 19, 2013, a feat accomplished only four times prior in the program's history.
2013: Holiday Bowl Victory
In 2013, Kingsbury and the Red Raiders secured a 37-23 win against the #14 ranked Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl.
2013: Head Coach at Texas Tech
Kliff Kingsbury's head coaching career began at Texas Tech in 2013.
August 29, 2014: Contract Extension and Raise
On August 29, 2014, Kingsbury's dedication and potential were acknowledged with a $1 million raise, increasing his salary to $3.5 million, and a contract extension through 2020.
2015: Texas Bowl Loss
The Red Raiders ended the 2015 season with a 7-6 record, culminating in a loss to LSU in the Texas Bowl.
2016: Disappointing Season
The Red Raiders finished 5-7 in 2016, a disappointing result despite notable conference wins against Kansas, TCU, and Baylor.
2017: Baker Mayfield Wins Heisman Trophy
Baker Mayfield, who transferred from Texas Tech following the 2013 season, won the Heisman Trophy in 2017.
2017: Signs of Improvement
The Red Raiders finished the 2017 season with a 6-7 record, demonstrating some progress with a much-improved offense and defense.
December 2018: Brief Stint at USC
Kingsbury briefly joined USC as their offensive coordinator in December 2018 but left a month later to explore NFL opportunities.
2018: Promising Start, Disappointing Finish
The 2018 season began strongly for the Red Raiders, reaching a 5-2 record before dropping the remaining five games.
2018: Baker Mayfield's NFL Draft Selection
Baker Mayfield, who played under Kingsbury at Texas Tech, was selected first overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.
2018: End of Tenure at Texas Tech
Kliff Kingsbury's time as head coach at Texas Tech ended in 2018.
January 8, 2019: Head Coach of the Arizona Cardinals
Kliff Kingsbury was hired as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals on January 8, 2019.
2019: Departure from Texas Tech
In 2019, following several consecutive losing seasons, Kingsbury's tenure as head coach for Texas Tech came to an end.
2019: Head Coach of the Arizona Cardinals
Kliff Kingsbury was named the head coach of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals in 2019.
2020: Salary Increase
As part of his contract extension, Kingsbury's salary was set to incrementally rise to $5.5 million by 2020.
2020: Cardinals' Improvement
The Cardinals, under Kingsbury's leadership, improved their record in 2020, finishing 8-8.
October 2021: COVID-19 Absence
In October 2021, Kingsbury and other Cardinals coaches tested positive for COVID-19, preventing them from coaching a game against the Cleveland Browns.
2022: Contract Extension and Departure
Despite signing a six-year contract extension earlier in the year, Kingsbury was released from his position as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 2022 following a disappointing 4-13 season record.
2022: Departure from the Arizona Cardinals
Kliff Kingsbury's time as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals concluded in 2022.
April 2023: Senior Offensive Analyst at USC
Kingsbury returned to USC in April 2023, taking on the role of senior offensive analyst under head coach Lincoln Riley.
February 5, 2024: Offensive Coordinator for the Washington Commanders
On February 5, 2024, Kingsbury was appointed as the offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders, working under head coach Dan Quinn.