The Arizona Cardinals have fired head coach Jonathan Gannon after three seasons at the helm of the franchise, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported Monday. The team later announced the news.
Gannon’s dismissal comes after a 37-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the regular season finale, the ninth straight as the Cardinals finished 3-14 on the year.
Arizona will retain general manager Monti Ossenfort, who will join the club’s search for a new head coach after Gannon was fired, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported.
“This morning we spoke with Jonathan Gannon and let him know that we were going to go in a different direction with our head coach,” owner Michael Bidwill said at a news conference Monday. “Jonathan is very smart, motivated, enthusiastic, intelligent, a great coach. He and his staff, Gina Gannon, their families give so much and so much sacrifice for this organization. We are so grateful for what he put into this organization.
“He made us better. But as you know, I think this is a league about wins and losses. The wins and losses speak for themselves, especially this year. We just felt like we were going in the wrong direction and we needed to change direction.”
Gannon leaves Arizona with a 15-36 record, having failed to lead the Cardinals to a finish higher than third in the NFC West, which came in 2024 after an 8-9 showing.
Sunday’s loss for the Rams was their fourth loss since December by double digits and in which they allowed at least 37 points. That streak bucked a trend from earlier in the year when they lost seven games by four points or fewer – the most such setback in any season in club history – and eight overall by one shutout. In Week 13, a close 20-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Gannon and the Cards eliminated postseason eligibility.
Aside from the season-ending losing streak, the low probably came in a 22-21 loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 5. Arizona led, 21-6, in the fourth quarter before a series of disastrous events saw the Cardinals lose to the previously undefeated Titans. In the chaos, running back Emari Demercado dropped the ball before it had crossed the goal line. After the play, an angry Gannon confronted a running back, yelled in his face and then stroked his arm, appearing to make contact with Demercado. Gannon apologized for his actions and was fined $100,000 by the team.