Former Vikings Coach Gets the Head Coaching Gig in Arizona for 2023
Josh Frey
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The Arizona Cardinals have been searching for a head coach since their season ended back in January, but at long last, it appears that they have found their coach. On Tuesday afternoon, multiple media outlets reported that the Cardinals would be giving the final head coaching vacancy to former Vikings coach and current Eagles defensive coordinator, Jonathan Gannon.
Gannon has spent the past two seasons in Philadelphia as the defensive coordinator, helping them make the playoffs in both years, including their Super Bowl appearance over the weekend.
Prior to that, though, Gannon had spent time with five other NFL franchises, including a tenure with the Vikings from 2014-17 as Minnesota’s assistant defensive backs coach. He contributed to the rise of players like Anthony Harris, Xavier Rhodes, Harrison Smith, and Mackensie Alexander.
His final season with Minnesota was the Vikings miracle run to the NFC Championship Game with Case Keenum, and their defense ranked first in points allowed (15.2 points per game) and second against the pass, allowing a total of 3078 passing yards on the season.
After that, Gannon spent time with the Colts from 2018-2020 as the cornerbacks coach before heading to Philadelphia. Prior to his tenure with the Vikings, he spent 2007-13 in various roles with the Atlanta Falcons, St. Louis Rams, and Tennessee Titans.
Now, Gannon heads to Arizona to try and fix two puzzles. Firstly, he has to maximize QB Kyler Murray whose salary will average $46.1 million for the next five seasons. Gannon also has to resurrect a defense that allowed the second-most points in the NFL during 2022 en route to a 4-13 record.
Luckily, the Cardinals hold the No. 3 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and they could have their pick of either Alabama EDGE Will Anderson or Georgia DL Jalen Carter with that pick. Either one of these players would be an extraordinary piece to build around moving into the future.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. He also earned minors in History, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon training, playing video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For more of his opinions, check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.