Why Jonathan Gannon’s Cardinals tenure was doomed from the start
The Arizona Cardinals fired head coach Jonathan Gannon on Monday after another losing season.
Jonathan Gannon was hired to change the Arizona Cardinals’ identity. Three years later, the defense never improved, the draft capital didn’t pay off, and the franchise is once again searching for answers at head coach.
Arizona fired Gannon on Monday after a 3–14 season and a third straight losing The Arizona Cardinals fired head coach Jonathan Gannon on Monday after another losing season.year, closing the book on a tenure defined by unmet expectations, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, and extending the Cardinals’ long-running cycle of coaching turnover.
Sources: Cardinals fired head coach Jonathan Gannon.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 5, 2026
Arizona closed this season with nine straight losses, ultimately costing Gannon his job.
Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort will spearhead the search for a new head coach. pic.twitter.com/WGE9Cx9jEU
The defense was the selling point...and the biggest failure
When the Cardinals hired Gannon in 2023, they believed they were getting a defensive architect fresh off a Super Bowl run with the Philadelphia Eagles. Instead, Arizona fielded one of the league’s least effective defenses throughout his tenure.
This season, the Cardinals ranked:
- 26th in EPA per play allowed
- 27th in defensive success rate
- Bottom-five in multiple pressure and efficiency metrics
That lack of progress came despite a massive organizational investment. Seventeen of Gannon’s 28 draft picks were spent on defensive players, including six of seven selections in the most recent draft.
Arizona was fully committed to Gannon’s vision. The front office consistently prioritized defense in the draft, building the roster around the head coach’s background and supposed strengths.
Yet entering 2026, it’s difficult to point to a single defensive area that clearly improved during Gannon’s tenure. The Cardinals remained near the bottom of the league in efficiency, struggled to generate consistent pressure, and rarely dictated games defensively. At some point, ownership had to ask whether more time would change the outcome or simply delay the inevitable.
The collapse wasn’t immediate. Arizona opened the 2025 season 2–0 and briefly appeared to be turning a corner. A 27–17 Monday Night Football win over the Cowboys provided another flash of optimism. But it didn’t last.
The Cardinals followed that win with blowout losses to division rivals Seattle and San Francisco, then spiraled the rest of the season, with defeats to playoff-caliber teams like the Jaguars, Rams, and Texans, along with costly losses to the Falcons and Bengals.
Gannon’s leadership came under scrutiny as the losses mounted. A sideline outburst directed at running back Emari Demercado in a one-point loss to Tennessee became a defining moment, one that resulted in a $100,000 fine and a public apology.
Shortly after, quarterback Kyler Murray was placed on injured reserve with a foot injury and never returned. Gannon’s handling of the situation, including effectively benching Murray before shutting him down, added more uncertainty around the franchise’s most important player. By November, Gannon openly acknowledged he could be on the hot seat.
Gannon becomes the latest in a long line of Cardinals coaches who didn’t last. Since moving to Arizona in 1988, the franchise has had just one head coach (Ken Whisenhunt) last longer than four seasons.
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