Kliff Kingsbury rumors: USC OC free to interview for Jets, Cardinals

Kliff Kingsbury is now free to interview for NFL positions, according to multiple reports, putting his USC football future in question

The whirlwind around USC football, Kliff Kingsbury and the NFL continued to spin on Monday afternoon with a major break in the story: The Trojan offensive coordinator is set to begin interviewing for pro head coaching jobs.

“I’m hearing Kliff Kingsbury is interviewing with NFL teams, which likely means he has resigned as USC offensive coordinator,” Jay Glazer of FOX NFL tweeted the news first. “USC was blocking him from interviewing for NFL head coaching openings.”

Adam Schefter of ESPN confirmed the report shortly after by tweeting, “Kliff Kingsbury is expected to begin interviewing for NFL HC jobs, as , after USC initially blocked him from doing so. Cardinals and Jets wanted to talk to him, and Kingsbury is square in the HC mix.”

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Even though Glazer jumped to the disaster conclusion for USC—that Kingsbury’s availability for interviews is because he has resigned—that seems to be just one of a couple of possibilities.

The news that Kingsbury is free to interview could mean he has resigned. It could just as easily mean USC athletic director Lynn Swann has backtracked from his reported denial of interview opportunities.

That’s the conclusion reported by Adam Maya of TrojanSports.com, who tweeted, “Confirmed: Kliff Kingsbury has NOT resigned from USC.”

Antonio Morales of The Athletic and Ryan Abraham of USCFootball.com each backed that up with word from a USC spokesperson, however vague it may be.

“He’s still listed on our website’s ath dept staff directory,” Morales quoted the statement.

If Swann has opted to let the Jets and Cardinals, and whoever else, interview his offensive coordinator, then there remains a chance for Kingsbury to stay on at USC despite all the drama. After all, New York and Arizona could each decide that another candidate is better suited for their open head coaching positions.

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At the same time, another report hit earlier Monday suggesting the New England Patriots may have interest in Kingsbury as an offensive coordinator, should Josh McDaniels leave for a head coaching position of his own.

If Kingsbury does find a new job in the NFL, then the Trojans will have the difficult task of finding a new offensive coordinator, one who can make up for the loss of such a coveted offensive mind.

For now, he remains USC’s offensive coordinator.

UPDATE: 

Bruce Feldman has jumped into the fray confirming a meeting between Kingsbury and the New York Jets.

“SOURCE #USC OC/QB coach Kliff Kingsbury is meeting with the NJ Jets now regarding their head coaching vacancy,” Feldman tweeted shortly after 1:00 p.m. on Monday.

Feldman is the first well-connected college football reporter to weigh in on the developments.

Will a meeting with the Jets escalate to an job offer? Time will tell.