Cardinals Fire Gannon Due to Coaching Failures in Talent Development

Key Quotes

"after all the additions they made this offseason on the defensive side of the ball bolstering that defensive line you know adding to the cornerback room they were 26th in epa per play against still losers of nine straight heading into the barn this one i think we both agreed down the stretch here this one had to happen it sucks because jonathan gannon was my preseason coach of the year candidate i thought he was i thought the cardinals were gonna make the playoffs but even within that you know it's sort of telling how poorly coached this team was especially on the offensive side of the ball given how much talent they have on the roster"

Mike Renner argues that despite offseason defensive additions, the Cardinals' performance, particularly their 26th ranking in EPA per play against and a nine-game losing streak, indicated fundamental coaching issues. Renner highlights that this was particularly concerning given the talent on the roster, suggesting that the team's struggles were not solely due to a lack of personnel.

"and i think that's it like you can say all you want yeah they didn't have kyler murray this year but objectively they did not get the most out of kyler murray we've seen kyler murray have good seasons back in the um you know 2020 2021 there was a time where he was like a front runner for mvp at mid season like he he has had in years past but it was obviously going the wrong way his development whatever it was whether it was they not being able to get to him not being able to scheme the offense to him correctly maybe it's just kyler murray's downfall but for all those reasons you're still the head coach and that is still the most important position on the football field"

JP Acosta points out that even without Kyler Murray for part of the season, the Cardinals failed to maximize his potential, contrasting his current performance with his MVP-contending seasons in 2020-2021. Acosta emphasizes that regardless of the quarterback's individual struggles, the head coach is ultimately responsible for player development and offensive scheme, making it a critical failure.

"but i think that all of this is sort of leads to coaching and again we talk about the theme this coaching cycle has been development it has not been the young players have not developed as much and for the cardinals they could never really get out of their own way with their quarterback"

Mike Renner reiterates that the overarching issue for the Cardinals, and a theme in the current coaching cycle, is a lack of player development. Renner specifically notes that young players have not progressed as expected, and the team has been consistently hindered by its quarterback situation, underscoring coaching's central role in these failures.

"where does this job rank then in like the annals now we got six head coaching openings is this towards the top or is this one towards the bottom maybe i'm just more of a believer in the cardinals' talent than a lot of other people i think this is pretty high i mean when you think about the the talent that they have you have like we've talked about like you get james conner back healthy who is a pretty a pretty good to very good running back you get marvin harrison jr michael wilson trey mcbride i think you can add another vertical element to that offense a speedy receiver and you can really sort of build that out"

JP Acosta assesses the attractiveness of the Cardinals' head coaching opening, suggesting it ranks relatively high due to the existing talent on the roster. Acosta highlights key players like James Conner, Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, and Trey McBride as foundational pieces that could support a new offensive scheme and build-out.

"but like if you're trying to convince a head coach one of the top options to go there when they have so much uncertainty at the quarterback position right now i just think it's going to be a really tough sell there's potential for a quick turnaround there's potential for this team i love their draft class this past year i think their early returns from it with walter nolan and will johnson are as good a one two as anyone got in this past year's draft class you know outside of the quarterback position"

JP Acosta expresses skepticism about convincing top coaching candidates to take the Cardinals job due to the significant uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position. Acosta acknowledges the potential for a quick turnaround and praises the team's recent draft class, citing Walter Nolan and Will Johnson as strong early contributors, but still views the QB situation as a major deterrent.

"and i think a lot of that is due to you know like the bidwells the ownership group haven't really been successful at all they have been mired in mediocrity for longer than i've been alive so it's just going to be really tough to find any level of consistency"

Mike Renner attributes the Cardinals' persistent struggles and lack of success to the ownership group, the Bidwells, who he states have been mired in mediocrity for an extended period. Renner believes this history makes it exceptionally difficult for the team to achieve any level of consistency, regardless of coaching or player personnel changes.