The Arizona Cardinals have reached out to candidate No. 15 in their tumultuous head coaching search, as they have brought in another candidate for an in-person interview.
Out of the candidates that the Cardinals have interviewed or reached out to, 13 are still available for the job. 49ers’ defensive coordinator Robert Saleh took the job in Tennessee, and Packers’ defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley was tapped in as the new head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
With all of the moving parts, general manager Monti Ossenfort has found himself new candidates to at least inquire about when it comes to the head coaching search.
A new candidate has emerged in Ossenfort’s search; in fact, he was brought in for not one, but two interviews. This indicates that the Cardinals' front office is very fond of what trait this candidate possesses.
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Cardinals bring in Jacksonville DC Anthony Campanile for second interview
Out of the 13 candidates still on the table, six of them are defensive-minded. This includes Campanile, who led the No. 11 total defense in the league, a unit that was exceptional at stopping the run.
Campanile, 43, will have plenty of tools to play with on Arizona’s defense, as there is plenty of talent trying to reach its full potential. Some of the marquee names include Walter Nolen III, Josh Sweat, Will Johnson, Cody Simon, and, of course, Budda Baker.
The one factor that may deter Ossenfort from hiring Campanile is the fact that the team already endured the experiment of a defensively wired head coach. Sure, if there were stepping stones and hope, it wouldn’t hurt to try it again. But the Cardinals under Jonathan Gannon went 15–36 with three wins in 2025, the most recent example of a defensive-minded coach.
Darren Urban, a source close to the team, reported this. It will be interesting to see how the result of the 2025 season plays a role in how the interview goes.