The Arizona Cardinals are putting the finishing touches on their third consecutive losing season under coach Jonathan Gannon, putting the 42-year-old squarely on the hot seat.
Asked on Monday what his "pitch" would be to owner Michael Bidwill to keep his job another year, Gannon said there "is no pitch," then later slightly revised his comment.
"I believe in myself, and I believe in our team," Gannon said when asked about retaining his position, per the team’s official website. "We are at a dip right now. We're going through some adversity, but I do believe in us and we will get out of the dip."
The Grand Canyon doesn't have dips as deep as the one the Cards find themselves in.
The 3-11 Cardinals have lost six consecutive contests, and are 1-11 in their past dozen tilts. Their current six-game skid is the second of five-plus games this season -- sandwiched around a singular prime-time win in Dallas. It marks the longest losing streak since a six-gamer in 2023, Gannon's first season at the helm.
"I do have to have a little bit of foresight as I am taking notes as the year has gone, what do I have to look at with a critical eye and change," Gannon said. "Because if we keep doing the same thing and getting the same result that's not good for anybody in my seat."
It's mostly bad in the desert. Jacoby Brissett continues to grind out plays and Trey McBride is a stud, but the offense is far too reliant on the passing game to beat quality opponents. The defense, meanwhile, has become a sieve. Sunday, they got torched 40-20 by a Houston Texans' offense that hasn't exactly been prolific this season.
Earlier this season, Gannon could point to close losses to suggest his team was within reach of turning things around. The Cards have lost seven games by one score this season -- only the 1984 Browns (8) have lost more such contests in a season.
Yet, even hanging tight is failing Gannon. The Cards have been walloped each of the past two weeks, 45-17 at home to the Rams and 40-20 in Houston. In their past three NFC West tilts, they've lost by a combined 130-61. At this point, they look multiple stages of a rebuild behind contenders.
When a coach in Year 3 hasn't shown progress, has zero wins against a team with a winning record in more than a year, and is getting blown out by rivals, it's fair to question his status. Whether Bidwill makes a move might depend on how the team responds in the final three weeks, particularly the next two contests against teams also eliminated from the playoffs (Atlanta, Cincinnati).
