Sometimes NFL coaches need a change of scenery. Kliff Kingsbury took that a bit to heart.
Kingsbury lost his job on Black Monday, one of the few NFL head coaches to actually get axed on the day after the NFL regular season. While the former Cardinals coach is remains a hot commodity in coaching searches, particularly offensive coordinator jobs, interested employers will have to cross international borders to track him down.
According to Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager, Kingsbury is no longer stateside. In fact, he bought a “one-way ticket to Thailand,” and is telling interested teams, “Thanks, but no thanks” as he ponders his future in the league.
— Sports Fan (@sportsnow12345) January 14, 2023
I don’t know if this is breaking news or not — Kliff Kingsbury’s in Thailand right now, and he bought a one-way ticket to Thailand. And he’s already been contacted by several different teams, whether he wants to interview about a job. And he’s said, ‘No, I’m good.’
He’s being paid five years, guaranteed by the Arizona Cardinals. That check hits every two weeks. He’s going to take his time if he wants to come back to football. But for now, he’s told teams, ‘I’m not interested in returning at the moment.’
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Prior to the start of the 2022 season, Kingsbury and the Cardinals agreed on a five-year extension that was set to keep him locked in Arizona through the 2026 season. Mitigating returns in 2022, an injured Kyler Murray and general organizational tumult surrounding the front office put Kingsbury on the unemployment line.
Though his tenure didn’t end with him hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, several teams were reportedly still interested in his services as an offensive coordinator, including the Patriots.
It’s unclear exactly how much Kingsbury was making as bench boss, but some pegged him at around $5.5 million per season. He’ll still get that money over the remainder of his contract, even though he’s out of a job.
Well, with his “Bachelor”-esque good looks, five more years of guaranteed money and the majority of his 40s still in front of him, it’s easy to see why Kingsbury said “Phuket” to the NFL.
