WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – When reports surfaced about the Rams hiring Kliff Kingsbury to their coaching staff in early February, it was obvious he would be joining their offensive staff. What wasn't known, or mentioned in those reports, was Kingsbury's exact title.
When the finalized 2026 staff was announced last week, it was revealed to be assistant head coach.
According to Rams head coach Sean McVay, that role will be a collaborative, all-encompassing one working closely with the Rams' offensive staff, incorporating some of the things Kingsbury has done well with what McVay has done well. McVay also sees value in having another former head coach on staff to support him with the roles and responsibilities that position brings.
"Great overseer of a lot of things offensively," McVay said Tuesday. "I think the biggest thing will be that collaboration of understanding some of the successful things he's done, some of the things we've done, and then the holistic approach, I mean, you got a couple guys on this staff now that have been head coaches, understand the different roles and responsibilities, and there's an empathy, and there's an understanding that exists. And Kliff and I have always been really good friends. I've always known the work capacity he has. I've always really respected what he's done from afar. But what's intriguing to me about is it's very different than what we've done. And just because it's different doesn't mean that it can't be better. And so there might be some times for us to be able to figure out where does that fit, but I think most importantly, he'll be basically there as somebody I can lean on in a lot of the different things that come up in this chair are really just big picture, and that's where he'll be a tremendously valuable person for our staff."
Kingsbury was one of the most prominent names in this year's hiring cycle, having served as the Commanders' offensive coordinator the last two seasons and the head coach of the Cardinals from 2019-22.
His tenure with the Commanders was highlighted by one of the league's most efficient run games in 2025, and quarterback Jaden Daniels' Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year-winning 2024 season.
In 2025, Washington's offense finished fourth in rushing yards per game (134.7), fifth in yards per rush (4.7), ninth in fourth-down conversion rate (61.5%), fourth in red-zone efficiency (63.2%) and eighth in goal-to-go efficiency (80.8%). The unit had the eighth-most rushing touchdowns (20) during the regular season.
In 2024, Kingsbury helped guide the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game with Daniels. Washington's offense finished the regular season ranked seventh in yards per game (369.6), fifth in point scored per game (28.5), 10th in yards per play (5.7), third in rushing yards per game (154.1), fourth in yards per rush (5.0), fourth in first downs per game (22.4), sixth in third down conversion rate (45.6%) and sixth in red zone efficiency (63.4%).
Philosophically, Kingsbury's background features extensively in the "Air Raid" system, but when he was hired by Washington in 2024, he didn't want to use that label for the system he planned to install with the Commanders, as his usage of run-pass options and run concepts tailored to Washington's personnel later showed.
"As you're installing your foundational parts of your offense and the different phases in the run, in the past game and the protections, then you're really talking about, 'Okay, what have you done in this arena?'" McVay said. "And he'll have cut-ups and representative clips. So it's kind of organic."
While the Rams evolved into a high-volume 13-personnel team in 2025 – their 30.5% 13 personnel rate was more than double the next-closest team this season and the most in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016) by nearly 13% – it was made possible by the tight end depth to do so. They are hopeful to have that depth again in 2026, but McVay also said that if you had asked him at this same time last year, the shift to a high-volume 13 personnel offense is not something he would have envisioned.
Point being: "I think the thing that we've learned over nine years is, let's not kid ourselves into thinking the same things are going to be successful again. We've got to continue to adapt, adjust and evolve," McVay said.
Hiring Kingsbury, and bringing on that different perspective, will help facilitate that process.
"When you guys (media) get to know him, he's just got a great humility, a great way about himself, and just wants to come in and learn and contribute. And that's how I feel about him as well," McVay said. "Just want to learn and continue to grow with him."
