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Katherine Terrell
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Katherine Terrell
ESPN Staff Writer
- Katherine Terrell came back to ESPN to cover the New Orleans Saints in the summer of 2022. She left the company in 2019 after joining in 2016 to cover the Cincinnati Bengals. Katherine is a graduate of LSU and a Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native, and she has covered the NFL since 2013. You can follow Katherine on Twitter: @Kat_Terrell
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John Keim
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John Keim
ESPN Staff Writer
- John Keim covers the Washington Commanders for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2013 after a stint with the Washington Post. He started covering the team in 1994 for the Journal Newspapers and later for the Washington Examiner. He has authored/co-authored four books. You can also listen to him on ‘The John Keim Report’, which airs on ESPN Richmond radio, and follow him on Twitter @john_keim
Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has elected not to pursue a head coaching job in 2024, a team source confirmed to ESPN.
Kingsbury’s decision takes him out of the running for the open position with the New Orleans Saints, who are the only team left with a head coaching vacancy.
Kingsbury had previously declined all potential coaching interviews while the Commanders were still in the playoffs, making him a long shot to take a job this year.
Because Kingsbury did not take any initial interviews, league rules would have prevented him from interviewing until after the Super Bowl was over if they had made it to that game. Kingsbury was available to do interviews after the Commanders were eliminated Sunday but opted against doing any.
Kingsbury was one of three coaches officially requested by the Saints who later withdrew from their interview process. Aaron Glenn, who played for the Saints in 2008 and coached there from 2016 to 2020, never made it to a second interview. Glenn interviewed virtually with the Saints but was hired by the New York Jets after interviewing with them in person.
Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, whose team was eliminated in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, opted to stay in Buffalo instead of pursuing a second interview in New Orleans. Brady was an assistant coach in New Orleans during the 2018-2019 seasons.
The remaining Saints candidates are believed to be New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who all did second, in-person interviews with the team. Former Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy is also a potential candidate but has not yet interviewed.
Kingsbury, the Arizona Cardinals‘ head coach from 2019 to 2022, said in December that he’d like to be a head coach again “at some point.” Kingsbury is still being paid by Arizona after the team signed him to a five-year extension in 2022 but fired him less than a year later.
Kingsbury made it clear to people that he has been happy with his situation in Washington because he could just focus on running the offense and not the other responsibilities that come with being a head coach. He has also enjoyed working with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who is considered the favorite to earn Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, and told ESPN last month “it would take a lot to leave this kid.”
“I didn’t get into this to be a head coach again,” Kingsbury told ESPN last month. “It’s not about money. It never has been about money. So, that won’t move me at all. It’s just I want to do the best job we can here for those guys and then kind of go from there.”
The news that Kingsbury has decided to remain with the Commanders was first reported by Fox Sports.