Arizona Cardinals Hire Former Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon as Head Coach
Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Late Tuesday afternoon, the Arizona Cardinals announced that Jonathan Gannon, formerly defensive coordinator for the Eagles, was selected to be the team’s next head coach.
The selection of Gannon leaves the Eagles without both an offensive and defensive coordinator, as Shane Steichen was hired by the Indianapolis Colts earlier today. It also ends the head coaching carousel that concludes NFL seasons, as all vacant head coaching positions have been filled following the conclusion of this season.
“I am super excited about the opportunity,” Gannon said in a statement. “I look forward to getting my hands on the players and putting a winning product on the field.”
Gannon has spent the last few days catching most of the backlash from Eagles fans following their loss on Sunday in Super Bowl LVII to the Kansas City Chiefs. After a stellar performance during the first half, the Eagles’ defense had no answers for Kansas City, allowing them to be the second team in Super Bowl history to overcome a double-digit deficit in the second half of play.
In the 2022 regular season, Gannon’s defense was second in the league in yards per game allowed at 301.5 and first in the league in yards per play at 4.78. The defense was also the number one passing defense in the league, with 179.8 passing yards per game and 5.50 per play. The team was also number one in sacks, both in raw numbers and by passing attempts.
While the passing defense was exceptional, the run defense left a lot to be desired, as that defense was a much more middle of the pack defense, tied for 16th in the league in rushing yards per game at 121.6 and 24th in the league in yards per play at 4.64.
Gannon was hired during the 2021 offseason by Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni. The two had worked together in Indianapolis while Sirianni was the offensive coordinator there. Gannon, who was the Colts’ defensive backs/cornerbacks coach, succeeded Jim Schwartz, who stepped away from coaching following the 2020-21 season before being hired by the Cleveland Browns in 2022 to be the defensive coordinator.
