Cardinals fire coach Kliff Kingsbury after 4-13 campaign; GM Steve Keim steps away

Kliff Kingsbury’s time in Arizona has come to a disappointing end.

The Arizona Cardinals, who finished the season 4-13, fired Kingsbury on Monday after four seasons as head coach, the team announced. He registered a 28-37-1 career record in the desert.

The Cardinals also announced that general manager Steve Keim has decided to step away to "focus on his health." Keim took a health-related leave of absence Dec. 14. 

Kingsbury was hired by the Cardinals in January of 2019 after spending six seasons (2013-18) as the head coach at Texas Tech. The Cardinals drafted quarterback Kyler Murray No. 1 overall in the 2019 NFL draft a few months later.  

Kingsbury increased Arizona's win total in each of his first three seasons. In 2021, Kingsbury helped lead the Cardinals to an 11-6 record and the franchise earned its first playoff berth since 2015. He agreed to a contract extension through the 2027 season in March.

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However, the Cardinals finished this year 1-8 at home, ended the regular season with a 4-13 record and were out of the postseason.  

Kingsbury’s final season in Arizona was marred by turbulence. Cornerback Jeff Gladney died in a car accident in May, star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was suspended the first six games for violating the NFL's performance enhancing drug policy, Kingsbury and Murray were involved in multiple heated discussions and Murray suffered a season-ending knee injury in December.

Despite the 2022 campaign in which the Cardinals finished 31st in offense, the 43-year-old Kingsbury is known for his offensive coaching prowess.