13 Potential Head Coach Candidates for the Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals have now fired coach Kliff Kingsbury after four seasons. Here are 13 potential candidates for the job.

Author:
Richie Bradshaw
Publish date:
Jan 9, 2023 1:03 PM EST

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Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals have fired Kliff Kingsbury, according to various NFL insiders.

Kingsbury's tenure in Arizona ends after four seasons with the team, and now the Cardinals look to hire their fourth coach since 2013.

Here are 13 potential candidates to land that role:

Shane Steichen, Philadelphia Eagles OC

Steichen will undoubtedly be the hottest name on the head coaching market in 2023. His wildly successful 2022 season with the Philadelphia Eagles gave the team its first 1,000-yard receiver (A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith) since Zach Ertz in 2018 and its first wide receiver since Jeremy Maclin in 2014. The duo of Brown and Smith is also the Eagles' first-ever 1,000-yard duo in franchise history.

On top of the passing success, the Eagles also had their first 1,000-yard rusher in Miles Sanders since LeSean McCoy in 2014. Jalen Hurts also amassed 747 rushing yards and a whopping 13 scores in 14 games. Hurts is firmly in the league MVP race.

With this year's resume alone, Steichen is a great candidate. He'll be at the top of nearly every team's list to hire, but the Cardinals have Kyler Murray to offer.

DeMeco Ryans, San Francisco 49ers DC

I am officially getting old as I can remember as clearly as yesterday DeMeco Ryans patrolling the middle of the field for the Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles at a Pro Bowl level. Now, he's one of the hottest head coaching names on the market.

Ryans has taken an ever-talented 49ers defense and turned them into the juggernaut they are with Defensive Player of the Year favorite Nick Bosa and co. Ryans has also coached up several players due to injury and has gotten major contributions out of players like Talanoa Hufanga who have become household names after many not knowing who he was before this season.

The Cardinals' defense is a project that needs a lot of work, but Ryans will love having a likely top-four pick in a defensive-loaded 2023 NFL Draft to tat his retooling process.

Jim Harbaugh, Michigan HC

It's easy to forget that Harbaugh went to three-consecutive NFC Championship games and was this close to winning Super Bowl XLVII with the 49ers from 2011-2015. Since then, he's continued his coaching success with the Michigan Wolverines and has taken them to the College Football Playoff in back-to-back seasons as the Big-Ten Champions.

While Harbaugh is certainly set for life as the Wolverines coach, who's to say he wouldn't want another crack at the NFL after an ugly divorce with the 49ers that he may or may not have deserved?

Harbaugh's consistent winning pedigree is unheard of for the Cardinals and should have him as a top option if he decides to give the NFL another shot. With some talented players already existing on the roster and a high draft pick, Harbaugh can dig right into forging this team into his image.

Sean Payton, former New Orleans Saints HC (retired)

Payton is a Hall of Fame caliber head coach. That's really all I need to say about that.

Payton was reported to be in talks with the Denver Broncos for their coaching vacancy, however, so he may not even be in the market for the Cardinals. There are some very loose dots to connect between the two parties, and Payton has expressed interest in the opening for the team if it became available.

The other hoop to jump through is compensation, as the New Orleans Saints still maintain Payton's rights. The team has stated they want a first-round pick for Payton, but the Cardinals would be insane to forfeit their premium selection for Payton. A second feels much more reasonable if this move were to be pulled off.

Vance Joseph, Arizona Cardinals DC

This option is far from the splashiest but does make sense from an organizational standpoint, as the Cardinals may want to make as little change as possible or at least stick with high-character individuals who know the organization. Joseph checks those boxes.

While the Cardinals' defense has been anything but good in 2022, Joseph has been an important cog of previously solid defenses and has been with the team since 2019. If anyone knows these players and how to use them, it's Joseph.

There are rumblings that Joseph may be one of the darlings for the position, so keep this in mind...

Eric Bieniemy, Kansas City Chiefs OC

There have been questions for years as to why Bieniemy isn't a head coach somewhere. Some have speculated that he "doesn't interview well" while others question how much responsibility he claims under head coach and offensive mastermind Andy Reid. Regardless, it feels like it's about time for him to get his chance.

Regardless of how "big" his role has been with the Chiefs, there is no denying that Bieniemy has helped the offense become the monstrosity that it is with Patrick Mahomes. One has to think that working with the weapons the Cardinals currently possess would be enticing enough for Bieniemy to finally give head coaching a chance.

Ken Dorsey, Buffalo Bills OC

Dorsey stepped right into Brian Daboll's shoes after the latter left to become the head coach of the playoff-bound New York Giants. While much of the attention to Josh Allen's ascension to greatness has been given to Daboll, it's been Dorsey that has helped equally as much as Allen's quarterback coach in that time frame.

The idea of Dorsey continuing his upward trajectory as a play caller to a head coach is incredibly enticing and his work with Allen shows how remarkable of a football mind he is. If anyone can help Kyler Murray get over the hump to the next phase of his quarterbacking prowess, Dorsey seems as good a candidate as any.

Jonathan Gannon, Philadelphia Eagles DC

The Eagles' defense is accomplishing historic numbers in 2022 which includes 70 sacks with four players equating 11 or more sacks. This kind of production hasn't been seen since the 1989 Minnesota Vikings, people! And the thanks go to Gannon.

Gannon has only been a play caller for the last two seasons, but his vast resume and work as the defensive coordinator will get many teams' attention. For the Cardinals, he is a relatively young defensive mind (40 years old) who can work wonders with the right pieces in place, and the team is in a prime position to add a premier talent in the upcoming draft.

Dan Quinn, Dallas Cowboys DC

It wasn't that long ago that Quinn was just over a quarter away from a Super Bowl LI victory with the Atlanta Falcons. While he certainly did fall from the good graces of the league, he picked up right where he left off as a defensive mind with the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys' defense over the last two years has enjoyed wild success in the form of superstars like Trevon Diggs and Micah Parsons thanks to the coaching of Quinn. Quinn's efforts rewarded his Assistant Coach of the Year last season and he is once again this year.

Quinn has shown that he deserves another shot as an NFL head coach and the Cardinals have to like the prospect of a defensive guru coming in and fixing this unit.

Kellen Moore, Dallas Cowboys OC

Similar to Bieniemy earlier on this list, it feels high time for Moore to get a head coaching opportunity given his wild success calling plays for the Cowboys.

Dak Prescott has played his best football since Moore began calling plays in 2019 and the offense as a whole is consistently one of the NFL's best with weapons like Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard, and CeeDee Lamb. The Cardinals have weapons and a franchise quarterback that Moore can instantly get connected with and make sweet, sweet music with.

Frank Reich, former Indianapolis Colts HC

The Colts' curious decision to fire Reich was shocking, to say the least. This hasn't stopped Reich from remaining one of the top head coaching candidates in the current pools of options, however.

Reich was instrumental during the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl LII championship run and got the most out of nearly every quarterback the Colts provided for him. He hasn't had a young protégé to mentor since Carson Wentz, who has enjoyed his most successful seasons (2017, 2021) under Reich's influence. Reich would be a terrific mentor for the young Kyler Murray.

Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions OC

Johnson has been an offensive coordinator for just one season, this year, but it's impossible to see what he's done with the Lions and not be impressed. Jared Goff is a front-runner for Comeback Player of the Year under Johnson and guys like Jamaal Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown have enjoyed career years. Johnson's offense has also been the catalyst for a Lions team that got hot to end the 2022 season.

Giving Johnson the keys to an NFL team would be a massive gamble, but it could also be the move the Cardinals need to make. He's an exciting boom-or-bust kind of head coaching candidate that will either have fans excited or terrified.

Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots ILB Coach

Jumping from a positional coach to a head coach is quite the step, but there is quite a lot of groupthink that believes Mayo can make the adjustment. Similar to Ryans, Mayo was playing Pro Bowl football not that long ago for the Patriots and quickly became a coaching prodigy under Bill Belichick.

With some talented linebackers like Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins, Mayo could take interest in the Cardinals' job. At worst, he may be interested in the defensive coordinator position should it become available.