Should the Arizona Cardinals fire GM Monti Ossenfort?

Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

GLENDALE – At some point, a rebuild has to produce something worth building around. For the Arizona Cardinals, that point should have arrived by now. General manager Monti Ossenfort has struggled to build any consistency through four seasons, and Arizona still faces the same question that existed when the rebuild began: Where are the foundational pieces?

This was the Cardinals’ 40th loss under Monti Ossenfort. Four years into his rebuild, Ossenfort now has:

A 16-40 record
No quarterback
A squandered #4 pick
A bad offensive line
Few, if any, clear foundational pieces on defense

— Theo Mackie (@theo_mackie) October 11, 2026

That is why the conversation surrounding Ossenfort should extend beyond wins and losses. Arizona has uncertainty at quarterback, an offensive line that has failed to become a strength, and few obvious defensive cornerstones capable of defining the franchise’s next era. Then came the Marvin Harrison Jr. situation.

Monti Ossenfort’s resume as the Arizona Cardinals GM:

-Allowed Zach Allen and Byron Murphy to walk
-Cut DeAndre Hopkins
-Cut Kyler Murray
-Traded Marvin Harrison Jr.
-ZERO Pro Bowlers acquired
-Allowed a Jacoby Brissett public holdout
-16 and 39 record

— Johnny Venerable (@JohnnyVenerable) October 10, 2026

Harrison Jr. represented exactly what rebuilding teams are supposed to covet, which is an elite young talent selected No. 4 overall who could become part of the franchise’s identity for the next decade. Instead, his departure has only intensified questions about Arizona’s direction.
The bigger concern is what that instability communicates outside the building. NFL rebuilds aren’t accomplished exclusively through the draft. Eventually, teams need established players to view the organization as a destination. Winning helps, but so do stability, direction, and evidence that joining the roster could lead somewhere.

The Cardinals need to deal Budda Baker and Josh Sweat before the trade deadline.

Monti Ossenfort should not be employed and making those decisions.

— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) October 11, 2026

Arizona hasn’t provided enough of any of those things. Ossenfort inherited a difficult situation, and rebuilding an NFL roster requires patience. But patience cannot become an indefinite excuse. For Cardinals fans, 16-40 isn’t simply a bad record; it’s four years of waiting for evidence that a plan is working. The Cardinals don’t need another reset because rebuilding is uncomfortable. They need one because this rebuild has yet to establish a convincing foundation. If Arizona wants players and fans to believe in its future, changing the person responsible for constructing that future may be the necessary first move.

Will Marvin Harrison Jr. figure it out offensively for the Cardinals? – Burn City Sports Phoenix Sports

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Reporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @BenBliklen