by Gannon and the Eagles lost to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The Eagles’ defense led the NFL in sacks with 70 during the regular season, collecting eight more in three playoff games. Gannon’s unit gave up the second fewest yards in the NFL last season, ranking seventh in points allowed.
Gannon, 40, has no previous head coaching experience. He’s coached in the NFL since 2007, working with six teams during that time — including three years as a pro and college scout at St. Louis. Louis Rams from 2009 to 2011. Gannon was hired as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator when Nick Sirianni was named head coach in 2021.
Arizona had already interviewed several candidates to replace former head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who was released after the Cardinals’ 4-13 record. But most of those candidates took other jobs or dropped out of the running. The Cardinals held a second virtual interview with Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo last week before the team spoke with Gannon for the first time.
The Cardinals are already heading into an offseason of change.
In addition to Kingsbury’s sacking, there was also a change in general manager, with Monti Ossenfort being appointed as the new GM to take the place of Steve Keim, who stepped down after the season due to health reasons.
Furthermore, JJ Watt and AJ Green announced their retirements. The Cardinals are slated to pick third overall in the 2023 NFL Draft and currently have just under $15 million in salary cap space, according to Over The Cap.
But the biggest issue may be the relationship between quarterback Kyler Murray and Gannon. Things didn’t work out in the end with Kingsbury and Murray, and the quarterback could already miss time early next season coming off a torn ACL. The Cardinals are tied with Murray, who is in Year 2 of a whopping $230 million stretch the team signed him last offseason.
Can Gannon and Murray coexist? Cardinals fans are eager to find out.
