Arizona Cardinals fire head coach Jonathan Gannon after three seasons, ending 15-36 tenure

The Arizona Cardinals have decided to part ways with head coach Jonathan Gannon after three seasons, signaling a major shift for the struggling franchise. Gannon took on his first NFL head coaching job with the Cardinals after a successful run as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator. He was supposed to develop great chemistry with quarterback Kyler Murray, but results fell short, with the Cardinals finishing the 2025 season at a disappointing 3-14.Arizona’s management decided it was time for a fresh start. Although there was some improvement in 2024, Gannon’s three-year tenure left the Cardinals dead last in the NFC West and near the bottom of league rankings. Injuries, roster challenges, and coaching decisions have contributed to the team struggling over the course of their games.

Why Jonathan Gannon was let go: Inside the Arizona Cardinals’ coaching change

Gannon finishes his Arizona tenure with a combined 15-36 record, never reaching the playoffs.

The first season in 2023 saw the end of the campaign with a 4-13 record. The following season in 2024 experienced a slight improvement with a close 8-9 season. However, the following season in 2025 experienced a season with three wins and a sharp decline that observed them losing their last nine matches consecutively after beginning with a season-opening win of 2-0.Gannon joined Arizona on February 14, 2023, in a move that came with controversy.

The team was penalized for tampering during the hiring process, resulting in a swap of third-round draft picks with the Eagles and the loss of a 2024 fifth-round pick. Nevertheless, there were lofty hopes considering his success on defense for Philadelphia as well as his potential as a young coach.At 43, Gannon is still relatively young for the coaching ranks in the NFL. While his experience as a head coach was not that successful for the Cardinals, his experience as a defense specialist coach gives them a great reason to consider his services as a coordinator and also possibly bring him back as a head coach.The Cardinals are left with the task of hiring a coach to rebuild the roster, improve the consistency of the team’s play, and establish a long-term vision. The Cardinals’ hiring decision reflects the quick pace of the NFL, where teams must deliver results without delay. When the new NFL season rolls around in the year 2026, the Cardinals will begin the process of searching for the coach to convert promise to success.