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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Jess Root

Kliff Kingsbury is a players’ coach, says David Johnson

Kliff Kingsbury has yet to coach a game for the Arizona Cardinals, so fans have not had the opportunity to see what kind of coach he is. In everything he has said publicly, he appears to be more laid back than either Bruce Arians or Steve Wilks.

Running back David Johnson was asked to give his early impressions of the rookie head coach.

“I think he’s more of this generation,” he said via the official team site. “He’s a younger guy. He’s letting us have a little swag with the visors and stuff.”

Players always appreciate being able to have a little fun with things like that.

But what probably matters most is that Johnson says he is very much “a players’ coach.”

“You can talk to him about things off the field,” he said. “You can talk to him obviously about the playbook, about what’s going on as far as the team aspect, and I like the fact that I feel comfortable enough that I can come to him if there is anything wrong.”

He added, “It’s definitely different compared to B.A. (Bruce Arians), but it’s cool.”

Arians and Wilks were both very tough coaches. Arians had a lot of success. Wilks did not and was fired after only one year.

Kingsbury’s approach doesn’t guarantee success but it is winning over his players, at least for now.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

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