GLENDALE – In one of the biggest surprise moves by the Arizona Cardinals was the choice to bring back defensive coordinator Nick Rallis in 2026. The franchise had the worst defense in the NFL from Week 10 and on, finishing the year 29th in the league. In the organization’s over 100-year history, no team has allowed more points in a single season than in 2025. And despite all of that against Rallis, he was brought back and answered those concerns on Thursday.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The 32-year-old spoke to the media about what led to the “bad ball” of last season and what he can do to adjust heading into 2026.
Cardinals defensive coordinator Nick Rallis watches his defense during organized team activities at the Cardinals Training Facility in Tempe on May 27, 2026. Syndication: Arizona Republic
Rallis on the “bad ball” of 2025:
Rallis wants to adapt from last year’s horrendous defensive output, but he doesn’t want to overreact and change something that was working for the defense. Through the first nine weeks, the Cardinals had a top-10 scoring defense in the league and looked dominate. After the team’s last win on Monday Night Football vs. the Dallas Cowboys, they would lose nine straight and allow 37+ points in six of those games. The reason for the obvious shift might be as simple as missing one man.
Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) celebrates a defensive stop against the Tennessee Titans at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Oct. 5, 2025. Syndication: Arizona Republic
Late in the Cowboys game, linebacker and green dot Mack Wilson Sr. went down with a season-ending injury. The injury forced rookie linebacker Cody Simon to fulfill the veteran’s role and couldn’t live up to Wilson’s production. The 28-yea-old was in the midst of his best season ever, with six pass deflections, 60 sacks and three tackles for loss. If he played a full season, Wilson likely would’ve doubled all of his career highs.
Outside of his play on the field, the seven-year linebacker is a team captain and his presence and leadership is his more important attribute. Wilson wasn’t the only major injury, as Arizona was the most injured team in the NFL. However, through the first nine weeks, the injuries didn’t effect the team’s defensive intensity by remaining at the same level.
Defensive coordinator Nick Rallis during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on July 31, 2023. Syndication: Arizona Republic
After Wilson’s injury, the defense fell of a cliff, and Rallis acknowledge he needs to be better on adjusting to his gameplans. Regardless if the defense remains healthy, the odds will still be stacked against the Cardinals in the toughest division in football. Rallis will need to use 2025 as a wake up call. If 2026 is the same result, he could be looking for a job next January.
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
