Cardinals fire Kingsbury; Smith out as Texans coach
The Cardinals have fired coach Kliff Kingsbury and parted ways with general manager Steve Keim after a dreadful season that saw constant unwanted headlines, a serious knee injury to star quarterback Kyler Murray and lots of losing.
Now it’s time for a franchise reset — again. “It’s the hardest day in the football life, when you’ve got to part ways with people that you respect and appreciate all their contributions,” Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said Monday.
The 43-year-old Kingsbury — who received a contract extension just last year — finishes his tenure with a 28-37-1 record over four seasons, including a 4-13 mark this year. The Cardinals ended the season on a seven-game losing streak, falling to the 49ers 38-13 on Sunday.
The 50-year-old Keim also received a contract extension last season. He’s been with the Cardinals since 1999 and served as the team’s general manager since 2013. He took a medical leave of absence in December, but the team didn’t elaborate on the reason.
Now Bidwill begins the process of looking for a new coach and general manager. The job could be attractive to candidates: The Cardinals already have a long-term quarterback and also possess the No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming draft.
Smith out as Texans coach: Lovie Smith fought until the bitter end to help the Texans to a win in the finale of a dismal season, with his fate likely already sealed.
Hours later he was out of a job.
Smith was fired as coach of the Texans on Sunday night after just one season in which the team went 3-13-1.
It’s the second straight season in which the Texans have fired a coach after one year. They parted ways with David Culley last January after he went 4-13 in his only season.
“I’m constantly evaluating our football operation and believe this is the best decision for us at this time,” GM Nick Caserio said in a statement announcing the team parting ways with Smith. “It is my responsibility to build a comprehensive and competitive program that can sustain success over a long period of time. We aren’t there right now, however, with the support of the (team owner) McNair family and the resources available to us, I’m confident in the direction of our football program moving forward.”
The Texans had the league’s worst record for most of the season, but won two of their last three games, capped by Sunday’s win over the Colts that cost the team the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft.
Smith, 64, was promoted to head coach after serving as the team’s defensive coordinator for one season. The 2022 season was his 12th as a head coach, and he has a 92-100-1 record in his career that included nine seasons with the Bears and two with the Buccaneers.
His firing will give the Texans a fourth head coach in as many years. Culley was hired after coach Bill O’Brien was fired after losing the first four games in 2020 in his seventh season with the team.
Extra points: Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that QB Tua Tagovailoa hasn’t yet been cleared for any football activity after entering the concussion protocol Dec. 26. The team hopes to get further clarity on his status for the playoffs by Wednesday . ... The Titans fired offensive coordinator Todd Downing and three other assistants.