TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona Cardinals have made the decision to fire their head coach, Jonathan Gannon, following a disappointing season that culminated in a loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Gannon’s departure comes after the team finished with a 3-14 record, marking the worst season in the franchise’s modern history.
A Step Back for the Cardinals
During his three seasons at the helm of the team, Gannon compiled a record of 15-36, failing to lead the Cardinals to the postseason or surpass third place in the NFC West. The search for a new head coach will be led by Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort. Gannon’s performance against NFC West teams was particularly concerning, with a 3-15 record. His performance in the division was even more affected this year, as the other three teams managed to qualify for the playoffs. The 2023 season was characterized by significant losing streaks, including one of five and another of nine games. The high point of the Gannon era came last season, when the Cardinals led the NFC West after a Week 10 victory. However, after a bye week, the team suffered a losing streak that relegated them to third place. Expectations were high at the beginning of this season, which was supposed to be the third year of a three-year rebuilding project under the direction of Gannon and Ossenfort. The team focused primarily on reinforcing the defense during free agency and the draft, incorporating only four offensive players, none of whom started the season as starters. The offense struggled throughout the season, especially in crucial moments of the games. Gannon was fired despite the Cardinals suffering numerous injuries throughout the season.Before the game against the Rams, the Cardinals had 42 players who missed a total of 309 games due to injuries, and had 25 players on the injured reserve list, the most in the NFL. This included quarterback Kyler Murray, running backs James Conner and Trey Benson, and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
Gannon signed a five-year contract in 2023, which means the Cardinals will have to pay the last two years of his agreement. In addition to hiring a new head coach, the Cardinals will have to make an important decision about the future of their quarterback, Murray, who has $36.8 million guaranteed in 2026. If Murray remains on the roster, another $19.5 million of his 2027 base salary will be guaranteed.
