The Arizona Cardinals hired Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon as their next head coach on Tuesday.
The Cardinals have reached an agreement with Gannon, who reportedly remained in Glendale after their Super Bowl LVII loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Gannon will replace Kliff Kingsbury.
Arizona waited weeks to interview Gannon as he was focused on the Eagles’ Super Bowl run. They were able to interview him Monday and even delayed his flight back to Philadelphia so he could stay home for a second day to meet with Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill.
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Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon looks on during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Philadelphia Eagles on December 4, 2022 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. (Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
After those conversations, the Cardinals seemed to have heard what they wanted.
Gannon’s defense with the Eagles was second in the NFL with 301.5 total yards allowed per game. They also allowed 20.2 points, tied for seventh in the league, as well as leading the season in sacks with 70.
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Unlike Kingsbury, however, Gannon doesn’t come to Glendale with head coaching experience. But he’s paid his dues in the NFL since 2007, working with six teams to get to this point.
Gannon also has scouting experience with the then-St. Louis Rams from 2009 to 2011, which should bode well for a Cardinals team in need of a rebuild after posting a 4-13 record in 2022.
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni (right) speaks with defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon during pregame of the National Football League game between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles on January 8, 2023 at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA (John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Once Nick Sirianni was named head coach of the Eagles, he hired Gannon as defensive coordinator in 2021 and removed him from the Indianapolis Colts, where he was their defensive backs coach from 2018 to 2020. Gannon also worked with the Minnesota Vikings and the Tennessee Titans.
With this expected hire, Sirianni is losing both of his staff coordinators, as Shane Steichen took the Colts’ head coaching vacancy.
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The Cardinals had a second interview with New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo last week before speaking with Gannon.
The next order of business will be for Gannon to assemble his staff before the Cardinals head into a pivotal offseason. They own the third overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon looks on during the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders on September 25, 2022 at Fedex Field in Landover, MD. (Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Gannon will work alongside Monti Ossenfort, who replaced Steve Keim as general manager. Keim resigned for health reasons after the season.