Steve Keim has had ample time to make the Arizona Cardinals a winner
By Jim Koch
The Arizona Cardinals have been to the postseason just three times since Steve Keim became the general manager back in 2013.
For almost a decade, Steve Keim has been the general manager of the Arizona Cardinals. The Pennsylvania native worked his way up through the ranks, originally joining the Cardinals as a regional scout back in 1999.
By NFL standards, Keim has had more than enough time to make the Cards into a winner. Very few GMs retain their jobs for 10 seasons without delivering a Super Bowl championship to their respective franchises. Why has Keim been afforded such a long leash?
Many observers believe that Keim’s close relationship with Arizona owner Michael Bidwill has kept him employed with the club. The former North Carolina State University product even survived an extreme DUI conviction back in 2018. A disastrous 3-13 campaign followed that indiscretion, but that wasn’t even enough to send Keim to the unemployment line.
“Big Red” has made the playoffs just three times since Keim received the ultimate promotion back in 2013. Even more distressing is the fact that the team has won just one postseason matchup during his tenure. That victory came at the conclusion of the 2015 campaign, when Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald led the Redbirds to a scintillating 26-20 triumph over the Green Bay Packers.
Arizona Cardinals are trending downwards with Steve Keim at the controls
The Cardinals have limped to a 4-8 record thus far in 2022, a disappointing performance that has many fans begging for Keim to be fired. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury and star quarterback Kyler Murray have regressed significantly in their fourth year, leading many to wonder if that duo can find success in the Arizona desert.
Ironically, Keim, Kingsbury and Murray were all handed contract-extensions during the offseason. Bidwill has signed off on a trio that seems to be destined for failure.
A large portion of the “Red Sea” is calling for Bidwill to part ways with Kingsbury, and hire former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton as a replacement. If that occurs, there’s a fairly good possibility that Keim would be sent packing as well.
Hot. Cardinals should immediately pursue Sean Payton. light
Keim appeared to be headed for great things after he was named Pro Football Talk’s “NFL Executive of the Year” following both the 2013 and 2014 campaigns. If recent results are any indication, the 50-year old GM will never experience that degree of success with the Cardinals again.
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