Don’t give up on Arizona Cardinals for lack of head coach hire
By Scott Allen
The Arizona Cardinals had another head coaching candidate turn them down on Wednesday
In the latest episode of Who Wants to Coach the Arizona Cardinals, another candidate withdrew his name from consideration on Wednesday. Welcome Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach Mike Munchak to the club.
He reportedly has declined a second interview with the team. He might know something the rest of us don’t in Pittsburgh. They just fired offensive coordinator Todd Haley on Wednesday. Could he be up for that job?
It is entirely possible. For now, the Cardinals allow another day to pass without a head coach. That is not necessarily a bad thing.
First, there is respect for the Cardinals not rushing through the process. Then there is the thought maybe they aren’t rushing because no one wants to be their coach.
Some fans have questions hiring an assistant coach who hasn’t at least been a coordinator to start with. That we should have very little issue with. Everyone has to start somewhere and there is no written rule one must be a coordinator first.
Now does it help? Probably. Only two current NFL head coaches have not been an offensive or defensive coordinator for at least one season at the college or NFL level prior to getting their first head coaching position.
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was never a coordinator prior to being the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, his first head coaching job. Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was a special teams coordinator before becoming a head coach.
The Cardinals top candidates right now appear to be a couple of guys who have not been a coordinator. Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo and New England Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores are amongst the leaders in the clubhouse right now. Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator James Bettcher is also still in the running.
Whoever the coach ends up being, don’t lose sleep over it. Whoever they hire they hire. We have no say in the matter. We just have to trust whoever they end up going with.
They will get someone who wants to be here. There are some attractive jobs outside of Arizona as well. Don’t blame Pat Shurmur for wanting the New York Giants. Don’t blame Munchak for wanting to stay in Pittsburgh for maybe something bigger than what he has now.
Next: Arizona Cardinals last playoff win was two years ago
Give the new a guy a chance. Don’t bail on your support of the team just because they didn’t hire your favorite guy. Yes, those people are out there and you know who you are. Birdgang for life.