Cardinals Can Say What They Want

The Arizona Cardinals are 3-6 and would need a miracle to make the postseason. After a 22-point loss to the Seattle Seahawks, it appears all hope is lost, but the season will still roll on for Jonathan Gannon’s team.

That begs the question: What’s next for the Cardinals?

Obviously, the simple answer is that they’ll play the next eight games of their schedule and that’s that, but the organization has to think about the future, and it might have to have some tough conversations regarding team leadership moving forward.

With change looming at the quarterback position, there are several routes the Cardinals could go, and it’s only a matter of time before they’ll have to make decisions regarding the future of the franchise.

These changes could come sooner rather than later, but Gannon was quick to dismiss the possibility that major changes could occur during the season.

When answering a question on whether the Cardinals need to make in-season staffing or lineup changes, he responded swiftly.

“No, no,” he said following Sunday’s 44-22 loss.

Gannon admits Cardinals were outcoached

Nov 9, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) is sacked by Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (3) and Seattle Seahawks defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (0) during the second quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Despite believing that changes don’t need to be made, Gannon took the blame for Arizona’s embarrassing loss to the Seahawks.

“I wouldn't say sloppiness. I think we got outcoached and outplayed. We have to play a lot better versus good teams to have a chance to win, and we did not do that,” he explained.

It was apparent that the Seahawks were the better team on Sunday, and Gannon was right — coaching was a large part of that. From the get-go, Seattle appeared to be ready for battle, and Arizona was simply not.

“When that happens and the score looks like that, it falls on a head coach. It sucks for me to say that, because that's where my mind goes. I didn't do enough of what (was) needed to do throughout the week to get them ready to go. It stings. It's the truth. It's the truth,” Gannon added.

It’s obvious that the Cardinals didn’t come to play. You could argue that the Seahawks are the more talented team, but like Gannon said, a lot of the blame should be put on him due to the coaching discrepancy that was on display at Lumen Field.

READ: Cardinals Coach Gets Real on Blowout Loss to Seahawks

What changes could be made?

With playoff chances passing the Cardinals by, there need to be decisions made about where to go the rest of the season. Gannon believes no real changes need to be made, but that in itself is a decision that will have to be decided upon by upper management, as well as the coaching staff.

General manager Monti Ossenfort is involved, as is owner Michael Bidwill, but the difference is that Bidwill isn't going anywhere anytime soon. He might seek change due to a losing football team, and it's not hard to understand why.

Gannon, Ossenfort, as well as coordinators Drew Petzing and Nick Rallis, could all be gone in the near future, and it seems like Gannon’s approach to change might facilitate his firing from the Cardinals organization.

With the head coach admitting that he got clearly outcoached, how could he sit back and not make any changes? It’s a puzzling philosophy, as Arizona is clearly flawed on both sides of the ball.

This isn’t an awful team talentwise, and everyone understands that, but it seems like focus isn’t there at times, and the offense might not be utilizing its weapons accordingly.

The offensive line has been struggling as well, which has prompted many to expect some personnel changes, but Gannon has held firm that adjustments to the lineup don’t need to be made.

Petzing’s scheme has gotten better since Jacoby Brissett has taken over, but it still lacks the explosiveness that players like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride need to take their talents to the next level. These two could form one of the most lethal pass-catching duos in the league, yet it feels like their talent is being wasted away.

Gannon can only tread water for so long, because major change is coming as early as the offseason. With Kyler Murray appearing on his way out, a new quarterback is likely for Arizona. Whether he is acquired through the draft, free agency or a trade is still up in the air, but it seems likely that Arizona will have a new QB next year.

If that’s the case, why not try different things during the final eight games of the season? There isn’t much to lose, as the Cardinals could benefit from a high draft pick, while if these changes pan out, maybe Arizona can win some games down the stretch.

At 3-6 following a blowout loss, nothing is off the table. Gannon might not think so, but changes need to occur inside the Cardinals organization — and it’s not a matter of “if,” but “when” as it relates to major changes for this struggling football team.