Expectations were high for the Cardinals in 2025but they were not metand ultimately that cost Jonathan Gannon his job as head coach.
The team announced on Monday morning Gannon was out after a 3-14 seasonand that was the plain explanation for why owner Michael Bidwill and General Manager Monti Ossenfort – discussing the change first Sunday night after the finale loss in Los Angeles and again Monday morning – made the choice they did.
"(Gannon) made us betterbut this is a league about wins and losses," Bidwill said. "The wins and losses speak for themselvesespecially this year. We felt we were going in the wrong direction and we needed to change course."
The team lost their last nine. Gannon's overall record in three seasons was 15-36and against the NFC West the Cardinals were 3-15 in his tenure. They had 25 players on Injured Reserve to end the seasonand more than 30 spent time on various long-term injury lists (including NFI and PUP.)
"None of us expected to be here today," Ossenfort said. "We didn't. It's not just one thing. There are a lot of things we have to get moving in the right directionand that starts (Monday)."
Both credited Gannon for building a culture. Bidwill said he is "comfortable and confident" in the job Ossenfort has done in building a roster. Ossenfort emphasized he thought the draft classes he has brought in have created a strong foundation for the future.
Rules to interview coaches – and ultimately hire them – has been altered at the NFL level to protect potential disruptions for playoff assistants. Assistants from non-playoff teams or teams with first-round byes (Seahawks and Broncos) can be interviewed Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Assistants for all the other playoff teams can't be interviewed before Jan. 13/14.
All those interviews must be virtual.
"With the rules in place of the NFLthis is not a quick processnor do we want it to be," Ossenfort said. "It's an important decision that Michael and I are going to undertake. We are going to be thorough. We are going to look at a wide range of candidatesand with the NFL rules in terms of timing … a timelineno. But we are going to be ready."
Ossenfort said the Cardinals won't necessarily be looking for an offensive or defensive head coach. He also didn't want to get into exactly how the Kyler Murray situation might impact any hire or be resolved after a hire.
"We just came off the last game of the year … there will be a time and place for those discussions," Ossenfort said. "When you come off a season we hadI'd say all options are on the table."
The Cardinals will own the third overall pick and pick in the top five of every round. Of courseneither Bidwill or Ossenfort would've dreamed the team would be picking anywhere near that area when the season began.
"There were several games we had a chance to win when injuries weren't as much of a factorwe didn't win them," Bidwill said. "We just felt likewhen you looked at how much we regressed this yearthe best option was to go in a different direction with head coach."
Players reportedly heard from Gannon in their team meeting as a final goodbye. Prior to the news as they came through the locker room for their final availabilitymany said they supported Gannon's work. Generallythoughthere was just an overall disappointment in how the season turned out.
"It's a team gameso a lot of things went wrong," tight end Trey McBride said. "Lose a couple close ones early and it was kind of a domino effect from there. Very frustrating season. At the same timeI have a lot of hope and excitement for next year."
So too does Bidwillanxious to put the 2025 season in the rear view mirror.
"I know our fans are frustrated. I am more frustrated," Bidwill said. "Monti is more frustrated. And so was JG. We all expected more. But when I look at itsome of the changes that were made with other teams a year or two agothose teams with new coaches are now in the playoffs. I know we can turn it around."
