The Arizona Cardinals are coming off a third straight losing season under coach Jonathan Gannon, putting the 42-year-old in the hot seat.
Asked Monday what his “pitch” was to owner Michael Bidwill to keep his job another year, Gannon said “no pitch,” then slightly revised his comment.
“I believe in myself and I believe in our team,” Gannon said when asked about keeping his position, per the team’s official website. “We are in a dip right now. We are going through some adversity but I believe in us and we will get out of the dip.”
The Grand Canyon doesn’t have dips as deep as what the cards hit.
The 3-11 Cardinals have lost six straight and are 1-11 in their last dozen deficits. Their current six-game skid is the second of 5-plus games this season – combined around a single-best win in Dallas. It marks the longest losing streak since a six-game stretch in 2023, Gannon’s first season at the helm.
“I need to have some foresight as I’m taking notes as the year goes by, what do I need to look at critically and change,” Gannon said. “Because if we keep doing the same thing and get the same result, it’s not good for anyone in my seat.”
It’s mostly bad in the desert. Jacoby Brissett continues to polish the game and Trey McBride is a stud, but the offense is far too dependent on the passing game to beat good opponents. Meanwhile, the defense has become a sieve. On Sunday, they were torched 40-20 by a Houston Texans offense that hasn’t exactly been productive this season.
Earlier this season, Gannon could point to a close loss to suggest his team was within reach of turning things around. The Cards have lost seven games by one score this season – only the 1984 Browns (8) have lost more such contests in a season.
Still, even hanging tight is failing Gannon. The Rams have been outscored in each of the last two weeks, 45-17 at home to the Rams and 40-20 in Houston. In their last three NFC West tilts, they have been outscored a combined 130-61. At this point, they look many stages of rebuilding behind competitors.
When a 3rd year coach hasn’t shown any improvement, has no wins against a team with a winning record in over a year, and is falling out of favor with rivals, it’s fair to question his position. Whether Bidwill makes a move could depend on how the team reacts over the final three weeks, especially the next two contests against teams also out of the playoffs (Atlanta, Cincinnati).