5 Head Coach Candidates Cardinals Must Absolutely Avoid at All Costs

The Cardinals’ head coach search carries major risk. These four candidates come with red flags Arizona cannot afford to ignore.

Sep 22, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith reacts during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

More seats are being filled as the NFL coaching cycle continues. The New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, and Tennessee Titans have all made their next hires. The Arizona Cardinals are still waiting, with a plethora of other teams, to make their hire.

To be clear, many top candidates remain on the market. Still, names are drying up quickly. This is normally the part where teams start panicking and make a hire for the sake of doing so. I implore the Cardinals to avoid doing that.

Arizona is doing the right thing by taking their time before committing to their umpteenth head coach since the turn of the century. Some candidates are better than others, and some coaches feel like traps.

I see five potential head coaching candidates that I simply cannot get behind as of now. While I could be talked into some of these coaches, I stand firm that the Cardinals would be best off looking in other directions.

Arthur Smith, Steelers Offensive Coordinator

Sep 14, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith walks the sideline before a game against the Seattle Seahawks at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Once upon a time, Smith was looked at as one of the brightest up-and-coming offensive minds in the game with the Tennessee Titans. The Falcons gave him a chance, he was exposed, and subsequently failed. He hasn't looked any better in his last two seasons as the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator, and his best days as a play caller feel long gone.

Smith still has interest from teams considering his prior experience, but it shouldn't lead to him landing a job with a rebuilding franchise. Although it may be tempting for the Cardinals to hire an offensive-minded head coach, and he won't be the only one we discuss, it's in their best interest to avoid a proven failure.

Brian Daboll, Previously Giants Head Coach

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll shouts to his players on the field during a week 9 game between New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What I said for Smith applies to Daboll perfectly. Daboll was seen as the next Kyle Shanahan after his remarkable work with Josh Allen as the offensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills. When he took over the job with the Giants, it was a universally praised move that had many believing he was the man to get them back on track. Fast forward to now, and you can see things didn't work out.

Something I'm willing to say is that I think Daboll could warrant a second chance as a head coach, but it shouldn't be this soon. Daboll failed spectacularly after making the playoffs in his first season with the Giants, and that should hold a lot of weight in a team's decision to hire him. If he had been fired a couple of years ago, I could be persuaded into giving him a chance, but I'm not on board right now.

Steve Spagnuolo, Chiefs Defensive Coordinator

Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo on the field before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Spagnuolo is one of the best defensive minds in the league. He was the architect of the Chiefs' turnaround that helped lead them to consecutive Super Bowls and extend a window that began in 2018. Without his leadership and coaching, Kansas City would have struggled to put together defenses that complemented their offenses. He's as great a defensive coordinator as they come, and that's exactly where I hesitate.

Sometimes coaches are better suited for smaller roles than being head coaches. Spagnuolo is the epitome of this notion. In three years leading the then-St. Louis Rams from 2009 to 2011, he had a record of 10-38; seven of those wins came in 2010. As an interim for the Giants in 2017, he went 1-3.

We've seen what he can do as a head coach, and it's bad. The Cardinals could easily set back what's already been a lengthy rebuild by taking a chance on a great coordinator who is a terrible head coach.

Lou Anarumo, Colts Defensive Coordinator

Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo watches a replay of the Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (19) touchdown on the video board in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 17 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. The Bengals took a 30-24 win in overtime to remain in the post season chase. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's crazy to think that Anarumo was one of the coaching candidates during the 2023 cycle that was connected to the Cardinals. He had been the defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals, who at the time had a good-enough defense that had them contending for the AFC crown. With the Cardinals' ultimate decision being to hire Jonathan Gannon, a defensive-minded coach, it makes you wonder whether Anarumo was a serious contender prior to their final decision.

Since then, he's been fired by the Bengals after holding the position for six seasons. He took on the same role with the Colts in 2025 with up-and-down results. He remains an intriguing name to make another jump, but he doesn't seem to be anywhere near ready to inherit a head coaching gig. Gannon was a much better candidate at the time of his hiring, and Anarumo hasn't done much to close the gap since then. Arizona should steer far away from Anarumo after passing on him once.

Matt Nagy, Previously Chiefs Offensive Coordinator

Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy looks on during the third quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Going back to how I described Daboll, Nagy feels like a previous head coach who may warrant another shot. He was given a shot as the Chicago Bears head coach and won 12 games in his first season. After four seasons, he was fired but still ended with a winning record at 34-31. It wasn't a total failure, and he coached Mitch Trubisky to the Pro Bowl. There were glimpses with Nagy, and I think he may warrant a second chance.

However, I am staying reserved about committing him to the Cardinals. Yes, Nagy has prior success—more so than Daboll or Smith—but I also believe he showed over the last several seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, like Spagnuolo, that he is a much better coordinator than a head coach. That's never, ever a bad thing, and in fact, we should praise those coaches more than we do, but I would prefer to see Arizona look into a different option than Nagy.

For what it's worth, of all the guys on this list, I would be able to get on board with Nagy. I have reservations, but at the same time, the Cardinals could do much, much worse.