TEMPE, Ariz — For the second time in his three-year tenure as the Arizona Cardinals‘ general manager, Monti Ossenfort will lead a head coaching search. This one comes after Arizona fired coach Jonathan Gannon on Monday.
The search started Monday but won’t be a quick turn. Ossenfort said he doesn’t have a timeline for making a hire and that the rules on interviewing coaches whose teams are in the playoffs prevent the process from proceeding too quickly. Then again, Ossenfort said neither he nor owner Michael Bidwill want the interview process to be expedited.
“This is an important decision that Michael and I are going to undertake,” Ossenfort said. “And, so, we are going to be thorough. We’re going to look at a wide range of candidates.”
When describing his ideal candidate, Ossenfort said all the right things: He wants the “best head coach,” he wants a strong leader and someone who creates accountability and dependability in the locker room. He also wants someone who can develop young players.
Ossenfort wouldn’t declare if he preferred an offensive or defensive head coach, only the best head coach and best fit available.
Arizona not being in a rush to hire a coach fits with their track record. Bruce Arians was the last hire of the 2013 hiring cycle and Gannon was the last in 2023. Between them, Steve Wilks was hired toward the end of the 2018 cycle and Kliff Kingsbury toward the end of the 2019 cycle.
When Bidwill was asked if he would be willing to pay top-of-the-market rates for a head coach, he said he wouldn’t negotiate in public.
However, Bidwill wasn’t shy about laying out his expectations in broad daylight.
He said Gannon’s firing was based “solely” on wins and losses. His three-year record was 15-36. Bidwill expressed a frustration that other teams who have hired coaches in the past three years had made quick turnarounds. Three of the more notable teams to do so were the Chicago Bears with Ben Johnson and Jacksonville Jaguars with Liam Coen, both of whom made the playoffs this season with first-year head coaches, and the Seattle Seahawks, who will enter the playoffs as the NFC’s top seed in Mike Macdonald’s second season.
“When I look at what other teams have done, and frankly, historically we’ve done a quick turnaround in our not too distant past, I am looking forward to that,” Bidwill said. “And I hope it’s going to be in the first year — not in the second year — but we’re confident that our search is going to be thorough, it’s going to be broad, and we’re going to select the right coach.”
The Kyler Murray Effect
Hovering over the Cardinals’ search will be their quarterback situation in 2026.
While Kyler Murray is under contract through the 2028 season, the fifth day of the 2026 league year will be circled on the calendar. If Murray is on the Cardinals’ roster then, he’ll be guaranteed $19.5 million for the 2027 season — that’s after he’s already been guaranteed about $36 million for the 2026 season whether or not he plays for the Cardinals next season. The 2027 payout could be a deciding factor in whether Arizona keeps Murray, who missed the final 12 games of the season with a foot injury, for 2026 or if it decides to part ways.
Ossenfort said it was too early to start thinking about Murray’s future with the organization a day after the season ended.
However, he said anything can happen.
“We just came off the last game of the year, and less than 24 hours ago we just left the field, and so there’ll be a time and place for those discussions,” Ossenfort said. “I think when you come off a season like we have, I’d say all options are on the table, whether it’s quarterback or any other position, all options are on the table, and we’re going to investigate all those to improve the team. And with every roster decision, we’re going to always, as we always have, we’re going to do what’s in the best interest of the team.”
Ossenfort said he’s not sure if Murray’s been replaced as the face of the franchise just yet.
“I think what we have to do is we have to look long and hard at this season and what happened,” Osssenfort said. “And when you have a season like this, I think all options are on the table.
“And, so, things didn’t work out. Kyler was injured this year, Jacoby [Brissett] stepped in and played well and we’ll see what that leads to. We’ll see what that leads into the offseason as we construct the 2026 team, but those discussions are for another day, not the day after the season has ended.”
Arizona’s options
As the Cardinals start to construct their wish list and cast a wide net, their options are plentiful.
But their main decision will be whether they want a retread or another rookie coach, like their last three coaches — Wilks, Kingsbury and Gannon — have been.
Arizona could look at coaches like Kevin Stefanski or Brian Daboll, both offensive-minded coaches who were recently fired, or Mike McCarthy. Other former head coaches like Arthur Smith and Brian Flores could also end up being mentioned.
Then there’s a deep pool of rookie coaches, such as Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher, Houston Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley or Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who was a finalist for the job alongside Gannon in 2023.
