Is the Arizona Cardinals Head Coach in Danger of Being Fired?
What do people think of when they think of Jonathan Gannon? Most Cardinals fans think of his opening press conference after getting the coaching job, when he asked the players, “Do you have fire in your gut?” He proceeded to say that he is looking for players who are passionate about winning and have fire in their gut. This was seen by Cardinals fans as being awkward and intense. However, the Cardinals had faith in Gannon.
Lack of Results
Jonathan Gannon is a defensive-minded coach who believes you can win by preventing explosive plays. His run with the Cardinals has not been turning out as good as he thought it would, though. Gannon has yet to make the playoffs since he started coaching the Cardinals in the 2023 season. He has a record of 14-27 as the head coach of the Cardinals. This is obviously a terrible record, especially when you have one of the most talented quarterbacks in the league in Kyler Murray. The Cardinals started this season 2-0, but now have lost five straight games. When a season gets as low as this, people begin to question if the head coach is the right man for the job.
Lack of Composure
The Cardinals recently gave the Tennessee Titans their first win after the Titans had lost four straight. This was mainly because of one play. In one of the strangest plays of the season, Emari Demercado threw the ball out of his hands just before he crossed the goal line, resulting in a touchback for the Tennessee Titans. Gannon was furious about this, rightfully so; however, he did not go about it in the right way. He went to the sideline where he smacked Demercado in the chest in a fit of rage. The Arizona Cardinals did not appreciate this, fining him $100,000. Gannon came out and apologized for the incident, but the damage was already done.
Not All His Fault
At the end of the day, coaches win or lose football games. Other things can certainly impact the chances of the team winning, though. Kyler Murray has been out for the last two games, which has not helped Arizona, with Jacoby Brissett filling in. The offensive line is absolutely terrible, giving the quarterback very little time to work with. The point of these issues is that it is not all Gannon’s fault that the Cardinals can not win. The former Eagles DC came to the Cardinals with a passion for winning, but he has not been able to do just that. It is unlikely that Gannon would be fired mid-season. However, at this point, the Cardinals are likely to miss the playoffs. If Jonathan Gannon can not finish the season strong and give Cardinals fans hope for the future, then he could very possibly get fired.
