Commanders, OC Kliff Kingsbury Reportedly Part Ways; Fire DC Joe Whitt Jr.

Dan Quinn will have a pair of new coordinators in his third season as the Washington Commanders' head coach.

Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and the Commanders have agreed to part ways, NFL Media reported Tuesday. Additionally, the Commanders have decided to move on from defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., NFL Media added in its report. 

The Commanders' decision to let Kingsbury walk comes as a bit of a surprise as he's been viewed as a top head coach candidate this coaching cycle. He also helped quarterback Jayden Daniels have one of the best rookie seasons of all time in 2024, with the Commanders reaching the NFC Championship Game as a result. 

However, Washington had its fair share of struggles in 2025, even when Daniels was healthy. The Commanders ranked 22nd in yards and points in 2025, going 5-12. They went 2-5 in the seven games Daniels started, struggling to overcome injuries to other players, like wide receiver Terry McLaurin and tight end Zach Ertz, throughout the year. 

In 2024, the Commanders' offense ranked as one of the best in the league, finishing seventh in total offense and fifth in scoring. Daniels won Offensive Rookie of the Year by forming a strong connection with McLaurin while working under the tutelage of Kingsbury, who was in his first season back in the NFL after getting fired by the Arizona Cardinals as head coach following the 2022 season.

Whitt, meanwhile, worked under Quinn when the Commanders' head coach was the Dallas Cowboys' defensive coordinator, following him to Washington ahead of the 2024 season. Washington's total defense ranked last in yards allowed and 27th in scoring in 2025, a drop-off from when it ranked 13th and 18th in those two statistics, respectively, in 2024. 

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