Kliff Kingsbury left the Raiders in a difficult position, and the subsequent hiring decision seems underwhelming. The Las Vegas Raiders had initially secured their offensive coordinator position, but Kingsbury’s withdrawal disrupted their plans. With the position reopened late in the hiring process, the Raiders are somewhat limited in their choices. However, the reported candidate on Friday night, former Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, doesn’t generate much excitement in Las Vegas.

Luke Getsy, the same coach who struggled as the Bears’ offensive coordinator, and notably failed to adequately develop Justin Fields, is now in line for the Raiders’ position. This is the coach whom Chicago hesitated to trust with the responsibility of nurturing their No. 1 draft pick. The question is, is Luke Getsy the best choice for the Raiders?

Sources: The Raiders are working on a deal to hire ex-Bears OC Luke Getsy as their new offensive coordinator. The highly-respected Getsy was in the mix for a bunch of OC jobs in this cycle.

Pretty wild day in Vegas.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 4, 2024

Raiders hiring Luke Getsy is a huge step back from Kliff Kingsbury

Bears fans celebrated when Getsy was let go, as Chicago struggled in various key metrics, including expected points, yards per play, and turnovers lost. The only notable strength was their running game, largely attributed to the threat posed by Justin Fields and his mobility.

Getsy faced widespread criticism for his playcalling, particularly the lack of aggressiveness in crucial situations where the Bears needed to score for a win. While Kingsbury had his share of challenges as a head coach in Arizona, his prowess as an offensive coordinator remained exciting. In contrast, Getsy’s departure from Chicago was primarily due to his inability to extract the best performance from a promising young quarterback. Now, he is entrusted with developing Aiden O’Connell.

Although the fit with the Bears didn’t pan out, there’s uncertainty about whether Getsy will succeed in Vegas. The risk of this turning into a significant failure seems substantial, given that Chicago was his first stint as an offensive coordinator, and it didn’t go well. Being a respected position coach doesn’t necessarily translate to the ability to run an entire offense.

In fairness to Antonio Pierce, the options for replacing Kingsbury at this late stage were limited. The potential contractual issue that led to Kingsbury’s departure poses a significant concern, and if that was indeed the case, it adds another layer of complexity to the situation.

Just Kliffing! Kliff Kingsbury backs out of Raiders OC job

Just Kliffing! Kliff Kingsbury backs out of Raiders OC job

Kliff Kingsbury’s anticipated return to the NFL appeared to be a done deal, with plans for him to assume the offensive coordinator position with the Las Vegas Raiders just a year after being let go as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.

However, with Kingsbury, surprises are par for the course.

A twist in Las Vegas: Kliff Kingsbury has withdrawn himself from consideration for the offensive coordinator job of the Raiders, per his agent @ErikBurkhardt. pic.twitter.com/IKmSPT7PaM

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 3, 2024

On Saturday, Adam Schefter disclosed, through Kingsbury’s agent, that the coach has opted to “withdraw himself from consideration for the offensive coordinator job with the Raiders.” The revelation may have come as a shock, but given Kingsbury’s history, it’s not entirely unexpected.

Kliff Kingsbury took a job then noped out…again

Kliff Kingsbury has a history of making late pivots in his career. After being dismissed by Texas Tech, he initially accepted the offensive coordinator position at USC under Clay Helton. However, just a month later, he secured the head coaching job with the Arizona Cardinals, a significant and somewhat surprising promotion.

This time around, there aren’t any immediate head coaching opportunities for Kingsbury to jump into. In the absence of the Raiders job, the question arises: where might Kingsbury find his next venture?

During the previous season, Kingsbury spent time at USC, working as an analyst for Lincoln Riley. This stint allowed him to collaborate with potential No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Caleb Williams. Returning to USC could be an option for Kingsbury, leveraging his substantial buyout from the Cardinals while waiting for the right opportunity.

Another possibility is the offensive coordinator opening with the Washington Commanders under Dan Quinn. The allure of working with the No. 2 overall draft pick could make this an appealing landing spot for someone of Kingsbury’s offensive expertise.

While Kingsbury faced challenges as a head coach, he remains highly regarded as one of the top offensive minds in football. The Raiders now need to regroup and formulate a Plan B, and there’s speculation that Chip Kelly, who is reportedly seeking an exit from UCLA, could be a candidate worth considering. Perhaps it’s time to bring in a Bruin to replace a Trojan.