Cardinals coaching search continues this week

The Arizona Cardinals search for a head coach has reportedly narrowed to a short list of candidates

We enter week three of the Arizona Cardinals search for a head coach.  They have yet one more team to contend with for a new coach with the firing of Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Mularkey on Monday morning.

What the Cardinals are doing and how they are progressing in their search for their new head coach is one thing.  What the Cardinals fans think or who they want as the next coach is another. Of course what the media believes is a whole other story.

Early on in the search it was clear many fans wanted New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.  However once it became clear he was the front runner for the same position with the Detroit Lions, that quickly subsided.

Now depending on who you talk to, it is either Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur or Carolina Defensive Coordinator Steve Wilkes fans covet.  Both though are still in the playoffs after victories over the weekend.  Wilkes though doesn’t appear to be on the Cardinals short list for second interviews.  Fans do like Shurmur though.

There are some who don’t want to see Cardinals defensive coordinator James Bettcher get the job.  They wants a change despite being one of the NFL’s top defenses in 2017.

But for the most part there has been slightly more support from fans wanting Bettcher in order to retain some consistency.  It makes the most sense but you can’t blame the team for kicking tires elsewhere.

Bettcher was in play for for the defensive coordinator job with the Chicago Bears, however it appears they have retained defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.  Bears fans certainly seemed up for either person.

However now Bettcher remains in play for the Cardinals, that is if they still are interested. That is an interesting story in itself.  If they were truly interested, why not just make the hire?  they’ve interviewed nine guys.

Either way, we all await who the guy will be.  The Cardinals were within 10 seconds of having Shurmur available to talk to again this week then the miracle ending in Minnesota pushed that back at least a week.

We may not get an answer this week but the longer this does play out the potential the Cardinals don’t get the first guy they want.  The New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts, and again as of Monday morning, the Titans all still have head coaching positions open.

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With the Pittsburgh Steelers eliminated on Sunday, it also opens up the possibility for Mike Munchak to be available for a second interview as well.  Again, that is if the Cardinals are interested.  That interest has been hard to gauge.