Cardinals fire coach Jonathan Gannon: Arizona moves on after 3-14 season ends with nine-game losing streak

Gannon went 15-36 in three years in charge

The Arizona Cardinals are firing coach Jonathan Gannon, per CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones. The news comes after Arizona finished Gannon's third season 3-14 by losing its final nine games. Overall, Gannon finishes his tenure in Arizona with a 15-36 record.

The Cardinals also lost all six of their NFC West games this season, their second time failing to win a divisional game under Gannon. Before that, the Cardinals had never failed to win a divisional game in a season since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

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After going 4-13 in Gannon's first season, the Cardinals jumped to 8-9 last season and made heavy investments on the defensive side of the ball, hoping it could match an offense that finished in the top 12 in the league in yards and points in 2024. Instead, pretty much everything went sideways starting in Week 5. 

Sitting at 2-2 on the season, the Cardinals led the then-winless Tennessee Titans by 15 points in the fourth quarter before melting down in just about every facet, and Gannon became the face of that collapse. After Emari Demercado dropped the ball before crossing the goal line on a long run, Gannon erupted on the running back on the sideline, an act that earned him a $100,000 fine from his employer.

Also in that game, quarterback Kyler Murray suffered a foot injury, one that at first seemed likely to sideline him for just a short while. It ended up being season-ending, with Gannon handling the switch from Murray to Jacoby Brissett awkwardly.

The offense, designed by offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, never quite fit Murray, who has likely played his final game with the franchise. But the defense, ravaged by injuries, also disappointed. Despite spending six of its seven draft picks on defenders and signing edge defender Josh Sweat, Arizona finished in the bottom 10 in several defensive categories, including 29th in defensive success rate. Gannon's inability to improve that side of the ball considering he arrived after shining as the Philadelphia Eagles' defensive coordinator certainly loomed large in his firing.

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Douglas Clawson

The Cardinals' next coach will have several questions to answer, starting with the plan at quarterback. Several team executives told CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones they thought Murray's time in Arizona could be over following his injury. Brissett signed a two-year contract last offseason and could be a relatively cheap bridge option.

Outside of quarterback, the Cardinals have a star in Trey McBride, who set the single-season tight end receptions record, and standout left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. figures to be a cornerstone as well. However, Marvin Harrison Jr., the No. 4 overall pick in 2024, is yet to live up to that lofty billing, and the offensive line needs upgrades as well. Defensively, the Cardinals have some young, promising players and a standout in Sweat, but there are several holes to be filled around Sweat and Budda Baker.

Arizona will have significant cap room and the No. 3 pick in the NFL Draft.