The Arizona Cardinals have a knack for targeting first-time head coaches.
Since Ken Whisenhunt first came to town in 2007, inexperience has been a part of the equation for the Cardinals’ head coach across the past five hires, with Jonathan Gannon being the latest.
And while Whisenhunt nearly reached the pinnacle of the sport with Arizona’s Super Bowl XLIII run, only Bruce Arians ended his Cardinals tenure with a winning record (49-30-1). That’s why it’s time to rethink the approach and get serious about bringing in someone with prior head-coaching experience.
Arizona currently has four of its eight candidates who bring that to the table in Robert Saleh, Vance Joseph, Raheem Morris and Matt Nagy. For those scoring at home, five of Arizona’s 12 candidates from 2023 carried similar head-coaching weight before Arizona landed on Gannon.
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But it’s the two names currently not on the list that could really move the needle for the Cardinals this hiring cycle.
If owner Michael Bidwill and general manager Monti Ossenfort want to bring some actual stability to Arizona, it starts with getting in touch with former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
After 18 seasons, 12 trips to the postseason, six AFC North titles, one Super Bowl and a 180-113 all-time record, Harbaugh is doing something he hasn’t since 2008: Looking for work.
He’ll have no problem landing it, either, with plenty of teams already reportedly calling his agent. Were the Cardinals one of them? If not, Ossenfort better get on the line.
It’s expected Harbaugh will begin the interview process next week. If the Cardinals really want to help change the narrative around them, getting a shot at landing Harbaugh would be one way to do it.
Sure, a Harbaugh hire will likely cost more than what we’ve seen prior head coaches make in Arizona. It would also be a complete 180 from the franchise’s optics the past couple decades with a name brand coach in the saddle.
If Bidwill wants to avoid the question on whether or not he’s willing to pay top dollar for a head coach, here’s his big chance. In doing so, he would likely quench a lot of thirst from a fanbase that wants nothing more than to have a relevant product on the field.
Even if Harbaugh doesn’t sign up for the gig — he’s reportedly conducting interviews next week — just getting him in the door for an interview would mean something.
Because again, Harbaugh is very likely going to have his pick of the litter when it comes down to decision time.
As for the other name that should be on the list, look no further than former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel.
The newest name to the hiring cycle, McDaniel is reportedly the top name to watch from an offensive coordinator standpoint following his Thursday firing.
But why stop there?
As of Friday, McDaniel has just one reported head-coaching interview lined up with the Tennessee Titans.
There’s bound to be a few more teams testing the waters. The Cardinals should again be one of them.
On top of four years of head-coaching experience from his days in Miami, which resulted in a 35-33 mark and two playoff appearances, McDaniel also knows what it takes to succeed in the NFC West given his time as the 49ers’ run game coordinator (2017-20) and offensive coordinator (2021).
Just like that, two high-profile names are suddenly looking for a new home. The Cardinals need to be in the mix for one if not both of them. It’s the kind of head-turning move that could have people thinking that much more about the Cardinals than just the doormat of the NFC West.
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