GLENDALE – Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon is entering his third season with the franchise with the most talent on the roster. General manager Monti Ossenfort spent over $100 million this offseason and six of the team’s seven draft picks to improve the defense. Pro Bowlers in Josh Sweat and Calais Campbell join a roster with top prospects like Walter Nolen and Will Johnson for a defense that’ll be hard to expect not to be elite.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The defense will make a massive jump next year, and with that expectation, does falling short of that put Gannon’s job in crisis? Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker named 10 coaches on the hot seat entering the 2025 season, naming Gannon seventh on the list.
Nov 24, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon exits the locker room before pregame warmups against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
PFF on Gannon next season:
“The improved roster should mean a more competitive team, and Gannon needs to assert that the Cardinals can battle both divisional and NFC powerhouses in the near future. If Arizona finishes below .500 for a third straight season, it wouldn’t be shocking if Gannon were fired, even if progress is displayed. After all, owner Michael Bidwill canned Kliff Kingsbury in his fourth season despite finishing 11-6 the year before.”
Nov 24, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon talks with defensive tackle Dante Stills (55) during the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Gannon doubled Arizona’s win total from the past two seasons, going from four to eight. However, Locker points out that the team’s defensive EPA per play is 32nd and 27th in Gannon’s first two years. While the additions on the defense will raise those numbers, it also gets away many of the excuses for the third-year Cardinals coach to use.
The run game for the offense has been elite in Gannon’s first two years and help Arizona show some life last year to barely miss the playoffs. 2024 was a roller coaster season for the Cardinals, starting 1-3 then rolling to 6-4 before falling to 8-9. Gannon will need a more consistent season if the team wants to make the playoffs for the first time in his tenure.
Mar 8, 2023; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon introduced some of his staff members and fellow coaches at Arizona Cardinals facility.
Nfl Cardinals Offensive Assistant Coaches Introduction Syndication: Arizona Republic
The Cardinals have the 27th easiest schedule in 2025 and have a home-friendly start to the season. Five of Arizona’s first six games are against teams that were under .500 last year, and if it wants to meet its desire goals of making the postseason, it’ll need to start the year by dominating those games. If not, Gannon could be in serious jeopardy of being let go from the franchise.
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
