Kliff Kingsbury is the ace up Rams' sleeve nobody has accounted for

The Los Angeles Rams always seem to turn coaching-staff defections into opportunities for an upgrade. With the loss of offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur to the Cardinals' head-coach opening, ironically no Rams hiring this cycle has the potential to shake up the entire team like the addition of former Arizona skipper Kliff Kingsbury.

L.A.'s staff now boasts head coach Sean McVay, Kingsbury as his assistant, new lead offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, and assistant OC Dave Ragone: four of the NFL's brightest offensive minds, all under one roof.

As innovative as McVay already is, that creativity could kick up a notch in 2026. The wildcard is Kingsbury, whose offensive genius made the Cardinals and Commanders sparkle and shine. It's not all coaching, of course, but how those units have declined in his wake only makes Kingsbury look better.

Kingsbury can build on Rams' innovations

It's never a bad thing to accumulate coaching talent. There is, though, a fine line between developing coaches and harnessing the experience of established ones. That could pose something of a challenge for the Rams this season with four cooks in the kitchen.

Still, Kingsbury did not come aboard to take phone calls and handle paperwork. He brings a proven track record of elevating offensive output. Take a look at what he delivered in two of his best coaching performances.

2021 Arizona Cardinals

The trademark of the 2021 Cardinals offense was its dynamic by-committee approach. Despite lacking a 4,000-yard passer, an 800-yard rusher, or a 1,000-yard receiver, Arizona won 11 games en route to a humbling 34-11 playoff loss to the Rams.

Kingsbury's crew finished 10th in rushing offense, 10th in passing, and 11th in scoring, all without getting a standout season from their primary contributors. Kingsbury made the best of balance.

2024 Washington Commanders

Similarly, the 2024 Commanders deployed a highly productive by-committee approach. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels led the team with 891 rushing yards in addition to 3,568 passing. Receiver Terry McLaurin, his go-to target, was Washington's only 1,000-yard playmaker.

What does this mean for the Rams?

It's worth noting, firstly, that Kingsbury's Cardinals and Commanders teams had mobile quarterbacks, something Los Angeles has little experience with in recent history. Jared Goff wasn't. 38-year-old Matthew Stafford certainly is not. The Rams won't give Kingsbury that part of his template to work with.

If he wields a heavy future influence, however, 2026 could be the last season of L.A.'s 13-personnel formations. That was never really his thing. The immediate effect would be making extensions for pending free-agent tight ends Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen less likely at season's end.

Instead, the Rams may pivot back to emphasize running backs and wideouts, which was McVay's formula, anyway, until injuries and poor receiver depth forced him to adjust in 2025.

As always, thanks for reading.

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