Kliff Kingsbury signed a 5-year, $27.5 million(approximately) contract extension just 11 months ago. While the ink was still drying, he was canned. This also comes just a couple of months after the league had told owners that they are paying too much money to coaches that don’t work for the team anymore. The Cardinals fired their coach, had their GM take a leave of absence, and then leave the organization entirely for “medical reasons” although there were reports that he allegedly groped a group of women on the Cardinals’ trip to Mexico City. There were reports that one of the assistant coaches may have been confused for Keim, but I am unsure what became of that situation. Regardless, the Cardinals are in turmoil, and they have hired their next head coach. They hired Eagles Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon.
Gannon is extremely inexperienced. He has ZERO head coaching experience and only two years of experience as a coordinator. His inexperience reared its ugly head in the Super Bowl just three days ago. Andy Reid, Eric Bieniemy, and the KC offense went into halftime and made quite literally game-winning adjustments while Gannon made absolutely no adjustments. The Philadelphia Eagles’ defense in the second half was extremely rough as they made a solid ZERO stops. Mahomes got hurt right before half and was in excruciating pain going into the locker room. Yes, Mahomes looked relatively unfazed coming out of the locker room for the second half; however, I have never… ever seen a defensive coordinator know that the opposing QB was hurt and be so okay with rushing four. The Chiefs were literally playing from down 10 at the half. You knew they were going to have to air the ball out more, and nothing changed. This is not a dig at the Eagles’ defensive line, but they were not getting pressure. They led the NFL in sacks all season and then got ZERO on the NFL’s biggest stage. I know people are going to use the field as an excuse since their players couldn’t get their footing, but everyone was playing on the same field, just stop with the excuses. He knew the four-man rush wasn’t getting home and he still didn’t send more pressure. Gannon may be the most passive defensive coordinator I’ve seen. It showed last season when he didn’t have all the star power he did this year and was constantly playing his corners at like 10 yards off.
If Gannon’s coaching style tells me anything, it’s that he’s going to play it safe. I wonder if he’s going to take risks. Part of the game is taking risks from a personnel aspect as well as on the field. Is Gannon going to be able to do what’s necessary to win? I don’t know. He’s taking over an extremely rough roster, to begin with. I don’t think his inexperience is going to help at all. The Cardinals should’ve gone for a more experienced and more proven coach. I get that the young unproven coach is the “trend” nowadays, but not for a dumpster fire.
If you are going to go for the young, inexperienced head coach, why not go for Mike Kafka? Kafka was a coach we heard was a finalist for this job. I think not taking Kafka is going to come back and bite the Cardinals. Look, the Cardinals signed Kyler Murray to a 5-year, $230.5 million extension in late July. Murray has been committed to which means that he HAS to work out. Kafka worked with Mahomes during his time in KC. Kafka once again showed what he was capable of as a coach working with Daniel Jones in NY this year during what many would call a “breakout” season for Daniel Jones. Kafka has proven that he can help develop QBs, which is what the Cardinals needed if they had Murray’s and the team’s best interests at heart.
I heard something yesterday saying that one of the reasons Gannon got hired was because he was a “ra-ra” type of coach. You can’t be serious. We are really going to start hiring guys based on their “ra-ra” attitude? Why?… because the Cardinals players are going to need to be picked up at halftime when they are losing every week? I coached under one of those “ra-ra” type coaches, he was probably the worst coach I’ve ever worked with. The “ra-ra” mentality isn’t going to pick a team up. It’s great if you are winning, but it doesn’t suddenly make you a winner.
You know it’s a bad hire when the happiest people are the fans of the team he’s leaving… When it’s all said and done, I don’t think Flo from Progressive is going to be giving Gannon any sprinkles. #SprinklesAreForWinners