The Arizona Cardinals went out on Monday night and did the most Cardinals thing ever. They completed an epic end-of-season collapse for the second year.
Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury has struggled during the second half of the season since before he entered the NFL ranks. And it shows that, even with a 7-0 sprint to start the season, the trend won’t end any time soon.
It’s time for the Cardinals to move past Kingsbury unless they want to remain stuck in perpetual mediocrity since the head coach’s second-half struggles began during his days at Texas Tech.
And really, who wants to be stuck in mediocrity? For two seasons, Kingsbury has had a talented team in front of him. And for two years, he wasted that talent. The guy was a mistake of a hire from the beginning, having finished his career at Texas Tech with a 35-40 record, including a laughable 17-35 against conference opponents.
It’s time to at least consider a coaching change. So who should the Cardinals put in Kingsbury’s seat if they go that direction?
Doug Pederson
Who better to build the Cardinals into a Super Bowl contender than a Super Bowl-winning coach? Doug Pederson has received a few interviews during this coaching cycle, so if the Cardinals are serious about ousting Kingsbury and pursuing the former Philadelphia Eagles coach, they need to pounce on the situation.
But why would you not hire Pederson? The guy is one of just two coaches to have beaten Tom Brady in the Super Bowl. He took a mediocre talent in Carson Wentz and at least made him look halfway decent back in 2017. And he did all of this in two seasons when the Eagles were supposed to be in for a long rebuild.
Yeah, Pederson had a sour ending to his career in Philadelphia. But he’s a proven commodity who could be a great fit to perhaps move Murray past his mediocre performances late in the season. Pederson should be number one on any NFL team’s list as a hot coaching candidate.
Raheem Morris
Is there a better coaching candidate out there than one who could be inside a division rival’s huddle? It’s one of a few reasons Raheem Morris would be an upgrade over Kingsbury. And while the Cardinals may want to go offense here since Kyler Murray and Company are in a perpetual state of stagnation, Morris also brings experience as a former head coach to the table and insider information on a division rival.
Morris has a career head coaching record of just 21-38, which is an obvious drawback, and it’s why he’s listed at No. 2 instead of No. 1. But he has been able to keep the Rams’ defense running on high octane after former defensive coordinator Brandon Staley left for the Chargers.
No, the Rams weren’t the top defense in football as they were under Staley. But they still ranked among the league’s best in yards allowed per play, and they were one of just four teams to record more interceptions than touchdown passes allowed.
Morris, despite his head coaching record, will bring a defensive-minded attack to the desert. And if the Cardinals’ offensive issues persist with Kyler Murray at quarterback, they will do a better job keeping games close with the edge a defensive head coach like Morris will bring.
Jason Garrett
Jason Garrett’s biggest knock-off is that he has never advanced beyond the NFL divisional playoffs. Former New York Giants’ head coach Joe Judge also fired Garrett following several poor offensive performances. Although it’s fair to point out the Giants’ offense did not improve after Garrett’s firing.
A former NFL quarterback, Garrett would be an ideal fit to work with Kyler Murray (much like Doug Pederson), and he would bring an offensive-minded approach to a team that needs it. With a career head coaching record of 85-67 and a decade of head coaching experience, Garrett’s #3 status on this list should be taken with a fine grain of salt. He’s more than proven his worth as an NFL head coach.
Best yet, even with Murray’s struggles, the Cardinals’ roster as it stands is nowhere near the bottom of the league’s. With his head coaching experience, Garrett has the ability to take the Cardinals’ roster, even as is, and tweak it into a more legitimate contender.