Kliff Kingsbury took Cardinals money and left the country after he was fired

Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury is not interested in offensive coordinator opportunities, as he’s currently not in the country.

One year after signing a five-year contract extension, head coach Kliff Kingsbury was fired by the Arizona Cardinals after what was a disappointing season that saw the team finish the year with a 4-13 record. Since he was let go, Kingsbury’s name was floated around offensive coordinator openings, most notably the New England Patriots. While it was reported as doubtful that Kingsbury would return to coaching right away, teams got some confirmation from him.

FOX Sports’ Peter Schrager reported on Saturday that Kingsbury is currently in Thailand after purchasing a one-way ticket, and that he has told teams that he is not interested in coaching at the moment.

Kliff Kingsbury reportedly in Thailand, told teams he’s not interested in coaching

Schrager brings up Kingsbury’s contract, which is guaranteed through the 2027 season. With that, Kingsbury isn’t in a rush to return to the NFL sidelines. And who can blame him, as Schrager notes the check hits every two weeks.

The Cardinals gave Kingsbury that deal last offseason after they made it to the playoffs for the first time in his tenure, albeit resulting in a Wild Card Round blowout loss to the eventual Super Bowl champions Los Angeles Rams. The hope was that the Cardinals could turn things around in 2022.

As mentioned, the team struggled mightily throughout the year due to a variety of injuries. Whether it was injuries or the offense underperforming, even with Kyler Murray at quarterback. After a Week 18 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Kingsbury was fired one day after the game.

There are currently quite a few teams that need offensive coordinators, such as the New York Jets, Rams, and Patriots all have vacancies at the position. The Patriots were heavily linked to Kingsbury, who reportedly had “done some homework” on Kingsbury. Now, they will have to look elsewhere.

After his head coaching tenure in Arizona ended, Kingsbury is taking some time away from the league.