Cardinals Extend Kingsbury, Keim Through 2027 Season
The Arizona Cardinals reached contract extensions with head coach Kliff Kingsbury and general manager Steve Keim through the 2027 season, the team announced on Wednesday.
Both were in the final year of their deals going into the 2022 campaign.
“The leadership of both Steve and Kliff have been key factors in the team’s turnaround over the last three seasons,” Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said in a press release. “We are all looking forward to continuing that progress and recognize these two individuals will be a big part of achieving our long-term goals as an organization.”
Keim took over as general manager in 2013 and has overseen some of the highest and lowest moments of the franchise. He was at the helm when the team traded for quarterback Carson Palmer in 2013 and reached the NFC Championship Game in 2015.
The Cardinals later fell to a 3-13 record in 2018, which led to the drafting of quarterback Kyler Murray first overall. Arizona has been 5-10-1, 8-8 and then reached the playoffs at 11-6 in Murray's three seasons under center.
He's also eligible for an extension this offseason, and has made it clear he wants one.
Kingsbury took over as head coach ahead of the 2019 season after a history coaching in college.
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He has also been the offensive play-caller and the Cardinals were 11th in the league in scoring last season.
He admitted, though, that he struggled to adjust when wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 14.
The leadership of the team is set for the foreseeable future, and the attention turns to the roster and finding ways to avoid another late-season collapse that doomed Arizona in 2020 and 2021.
The franchise has many free agents from the 2021 squad, like tight end Zach Ertz and edge rusher Chandler Jones, and the draft starts on April 28.
Murray's contract will be a topic of discussion all offseason, although Keim said on Tuesday that he will keep negotiation details confidential.
