Take another candidate off table for Cardinals

One of the Arizona Cardinals head coaching candidates is reportedly off the market

Just as soon as we re-iterate the possibility this morning of the Arizona Cardinals landing Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur as their head coach, it’s gone. A report by arizonasports.com has indicated the New York Giants are about to land him.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Giants would win out over the Cardinals because it is New York after all.  New York is the end all to be all not only in the sports world but any world.

Of course that sentiment is not shared on this end of things but certainly understandable from a head coaching position in the NFL standpoint.  The Giants are in the high profile NFC East while the Cardinals sit in the NFC West, which is starting to see a bit of a turn around.

The only interesting part is how this becomes news today while no one who is still in the playoffs can be interviewed until January 22nd.  NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweeted out the news that prompted the report.  The NFL has tweeted out the same news.

That has narrowed the field down to the Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, and Indianapolis Colts as the remaining openings.  The Titans spot just opened on Monday morning and it is also being reported New England Patriots assistant coach Josh McDaniels is the front runner for the Colts job.

So that leads us back to New England linebackers coach Brian Flores, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach Mike Munchak, and Cardinals defensive coordinator James Bettcher as the remaining candidates on the Cardinals short list.  Flores can’t come in for a second interview until next week.

Next: Two Cardinals awarded for 2017 efforts

There is also Steve Wilks, the Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator.  He apparently wasn’t on the reported Cardinals short list for a second interview however after he left Arizona and went to New York for an interview.