Ex-defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon left the Philadelphia Eagles on bad terms in 2023, joining the Arizona Cardinals as head coach following a tampering controversy. His successor, Sean Desai, only lasted a season before Vic Fangio took over in 2024, all while Gannon did his best to turn the Cardinals back into a playoff threat.
Fast forward to Week 15, and the Eagles have officially won the breakup.
The Cardinals will probably call it a tenure on Gannon as head coach following an embarrassing 40-20 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon. Arizona went down 17-0 in the first quarter and played from behind the entire game. The Cardinals never had a chance, dropping to 3-11 on the season.
While ESPN's Dan Graziano said Saturday that he leans "toward Arizona keeping its coaches and letting them try to develop a quarterback post-Kyler Murray," it's hard to see Gannon surviving a beatdown in which it seemed the team gave up almost immediately.
Ex-Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon Likely Done with Cardinals
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray isn't coming back this season due to a foot injury, and his future in Arizona is up in the air because of it. The Cardinals could use this as an opportunity to start fresh at head coach and under center. The 2026 NFL draft offers a few intriguing options at the position, like the Indiana Hoosiers' Fernando Mendoza, the Oregon Ducks' Dante Moore, and the Alabama Crimson Tide's Ty Simpson, and Arizona might want to pair one of them with an HC who has a clean slate.
Gannon hasn't been able to develop the Cardinals' defense outside of a few cases, with Josh Sweat, Calais Campbell, and Baron Browning excelling in the trenches and Budda Baker standing out in the secondary. One would argue those players would've done well in any scheme.
If he does lose his job, it'll be interesting to see if the Eagles want to bring Gannon back. On one hand, it might be tough after the tampering drama. On the other hand, time heals all wounds.
Current DC Vic Fangio has done a solid job in his role, but he might be interested in having Gannon as an advisor. The 42-year-old clearly is more suited for a lesser role, and getting him back in Philly — even if it's not as a coordinator — could be a good use of his skill set.
Gannon and head coach Nick Sirianni worked together with the Indianapolis Colts and later the Eagles together. If anyone knows who can get the most out of the latter, it's the Eagles' bench boss.
At the end of the day, some coaches are meant to lead, while others work better in a supporting role. Gannon clearly doesn't fall into the latter category, making it interesting to see just how long he'll last in the desert.