Monti Ossenfort Makes Statement With Jonathan Gannon Hire
PHOENIX -- It rained here in the Valley yesterday, a bit odd for a place known for its weather and sunshine.
Yet inside the walls of the Arizona Cardinals' team facility in Tempe, they're over the moon after finally landing their next head coach in Philadelphia Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon.
Gannon was the last candidate to speak with the Cardinals after his 38-35 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, a result of the Cardinals hiring GM Monti Ossenfort and the Eagles progressing through the gauntlet of the NFL postseason that didn't allow Arizona to speak with Gannon until after the big game.
Gannon stayed in Arizona and didn't board a plane until he was named the next head coach of the Cardinals. The team is set to have his introductory press conference tomorrow morning.
There's been plenty of talk about Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill and his involvement in the daily operations of the team. While he hasn't quite reached Jerry Jones levels of being hands on, his reported involvement in film sessions among other meetings with coaches and personnel show he's more active than most.
So when the Cardinals first pulled the trigger on Gannon, plenty thought that Bidwill specifically wanted to wait to interview their current man in charge.
However, this move was undoubtedly a statement from Ossenfort.
"Jonathan Gannon was quietly a front-runner for the job from the minute Monti Ossenfort landed the GM spot," said Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. "The two got to know each other over the last year, and Ossenfort sees Gannon as having the 'it' factor necessary in a head coach."
NFL Media's Ian Rapoport echoed similar sentiments by saying, "In the end, it was between Jonathan Gannon and Lou Anarumo, who really impressed specifically in his second interview. In the end, the relationship built with GM Monti Ossenfort in the offseason helped pave the way for this looming hire."
Before the hire, Breer posted in his MMQB column the following information he gathered that showed Gannon was perhaps the man Ossenfort wanted all along.
"Over the summer, new Arizona GM Monti Ossenfort (with some help from his agent) came up with a list of 10 to 12 coaches that he’d wanted to get to know, so he’d have a solid list to work from in case he landed a GM job after the season," Breer said.
"Three guys on that list wound up impressing him—Bengals OC Brian Callahan, Lions DC Aaron Glenn and Gannon, who, for his part, showed Ossenfort he had the sort of it factor needed to become a head coach in the NFL. The twist again, because of the rules, was Ossenfort would have to wait on him.
"By the time Ossenfort got the Arizona job, the window to do first interviews with coaches in the playoffs was shut. So of his list of three, Glenn was the only one he could interview. After the AFC title game, the Cardinals got to Callahan. And, now, finally, they’ll get to Gannon."
Bidwill had to sign off on the new arrival of Gannon. He was involved in interviews and when you remember his money will be funding whoever was their head coach, it makes sense for Bidwill's two cents to be counted.
Yet this move was very much on the fingerprints of Ossenfort, who has now come into Arizona and made it clear that he's at the forefront of everything the Cardinals will do, organizationally, moving forward.
Bidwill wanted to wait until a new general manager was in place before beginning the search for a head coach. The Cardinals went with the candidate Ossenfort sought after from the jump.
For now, it looks like Bidwill has trust in the new Ossenfort regime and will take a step back while letting them organize a plan to turn Arizona around.
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