Arizona Cardinals hire new special teams coach

The quietest part of the Arizona Cardinals game is getting another coach added to the roster. Per Field Yates, the Cardinals hired former Vanderbilt coach Devin Fitzsimmons. Fitzsimmons also previously spent time with the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions with the same exact role (and no, he’s not the guy who got fired for that fake punt with the ball inside their own 35 yard line).

Fitzsimmons’ resume includes working with Matt Prater who has been pretty successful in the motor city, getting Jamal Agnew to be a Pro Bowl punt returner as well. His entire coaching journey can be seen in the previous link.

I am VERY excited about Devin Fitzsimmons and his resume. If you can get decent special teams in Detroit of all places, then I am pretty confident that he can work some magic here. Although it cannot be Christian Kirk in the punt return game, as that has been well-documented here at Raising Zona. It’s a proven fact that a better punt and return yard average makes a huge difference over the course of each game, especially when a big drive is needed in the fourth quarter.

Fitzsimmons will join forces with assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers. Rodgers came on board with the Cardinals when Kliff Kingsbury was hired, and he’ll now have an extra person to bounce things off of always helps. I’m not asking for transforming whoever gets the job into Devin Hester, but another 9-15 yards per return would be a solid start. The returner position will be a fun battle to watch over the offseason and camp.

Maybe this can spark the return of the fun years of special teams for the Cardinals, from 2007-2011 there was always the chance for a good play from that unit. It may turn into something the Steve Breaston’s, LaRod Stephens-Howling’s, and Sean Morey’s of the world would be proud of.