The Arizona Cardinals’ head-coaching search rolls on, but not without some additions and subtractions to the pool of candidates.
Among the biggest updates revolves around former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who is taking over as the Tennessee Titans’ new head coach.
Hey, at least he’s out of the NFC West, right?
Meanwhile, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campinale has emerged from the bush as the only known candidate meeting a second time with the franchise after an under-the-radar first interview.
But who ranks atop the current list of prospective Cardinals head coaches?
The two biggest prerequisites for me during Arizona’s search have revolved around prior head-coaching experience and time in the NFC West.
Having at least one of those traits can certainly help build a coach’s case for the job.
A look at how the current batch of options shakes out, along with their previous ranking from the very batch of candidates following Jonathan Gannon’s firing:
Updated Cardinals head-coaching candidates ranking
1. Klint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks OC
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Previous ranking: 2
Kubiak takes the top spot among the known candidates after Saleh’s name was taken out of consideration.
He has no prior head-coaching experience but has spent time in the NFC West as both the Seahawks OC (2025) and 49ers passing game coordinator (2023).
The biggest seller to me, though, is what he’s getting out of wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njiba and the rest of Seattle’s offense.
This past season, the Seahawks ranked third in points scored (28.4 per game) and eighth in total yards (351.4).
Then you look at Smith-Njiba, who paced the NFL with 1,793 yards to go along with 119 catches and 10 touchdowns in his first season working alongside Kubiak.
For a Cardinals franchise with a struggling first-round pick in Marvin Harrison Jr., a pairing with Kubiak could go a long way in getting the wideout back on track.
2. Raheem Morris, former Atlanta Falcons head coach
Previous ranking: 4
Morris has both big prerequisites filled, having been a head coach and worked in the NFC West.
Yes, he has just one season of .500 ball or better as a head coach (2010 with Tampa Bay) and is coming off back-to-back 8-9 marks with Atlanta. But had he gotten one more win (or just held the tiebreakers over Carolina and Tampa Bay) this past season, Morris and the Falcons would have won the NFC South. All three teams finished with the same record.
Instead, he got the boot and is now out looking for a new home despite the team finishing the season on a four-game win streak.
Compared to some of the other former head coaches on the list, Morris has at least tasted some sort of success in that role.
His three seasons as Rams DC helped him get more acquainted with the NFC West, too.
3. Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos DC
Previous ranking: 3
If this were a ranking on the next most likely Cardinals head coach, Joseph would likely be at the top of the list.
He has plenty of experience working in Arizona from his time as defensive coordinator (2019-22) and has prior experience in the NFC West experience and as a head coach.
Arizona’s Joseph-led defenses improved year over year, improving from 27.6 points per game in 2019 to 22.9 and 21.5 in 2020 and 2021, respectively, before everything crumbled in 2022.
He’s since landed on his feet in Denver, posting one of the nastiest units in the league behind the second fewest yards (278.2) and third fewest points (18.3) per game, and is prepping for a conference championship this week.
Joseph’s gotten it done from a DC standpoint. From a head-coaching perspective? Not so much.
In his two-year stint as Denver’s head coach from 2017-18, Joseph posted an 11-21 mark as the Broncos tried and failed to find their next franchise quarterback.
4. Mike LaFleur, Los Angeles Rams OC
Previous ranking: Not ranked
LaFleur was not among the initial batch of names but now finds himself among the top five.
No head-coaching experience, but LaFleur has spent the past three seasons under Sean McVay in Los Angeles. He’s also got the connection to his brother and Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur to lean on.
The younger LaFleur helped the Rams get it done offensively this past regular season, with the Rams ranking first in total yards (394.6), passing yards (268.1) and points per game (30.5).
Now, he’s prepping for a conference title game against the Seahawks.
5. Matt Nagy, Kansas City Chiefs OC
Previous ranking: 5
Nagy actually has the only winning record among the former head coaches on the list, posting a 34-31 record from 2018-21 with the Chicago Bears. That run included two postseason trips and a NFC North title.
After his time in Chicago went up in flames, Nagy latched back on with the Chiefs as a senior assistant and QBs coach (2022) before taking over as OC the past three years.
Only once has he posted a top 10 offense (2023). Kansas City hasn’t been better than 15th in points scored across his three seasons on the job, too.
The head-coaching experience is there, but the success as a coordinator isn’t quite to the level of some of the other candidates in the mix.
6. Anthony Campanile, Jacksonville Jaguars DC
Previous ranking: NR
The newest name to Arizona’s search, Campanile is the only known head-coaching candidate who has met twice with the Cardinals during their current search.
His viral video of telling his defense to get after it has made the rounds this hiring cycle, but it’s what he’s done with the Jaguars defense that stands out more to me.
In just his first year on the job, Campanile led a unit that allowed the fewest rushing yards (85.6) and eighth fewest points per game (19.8).
That type of showing helped Jacksonville in its pursuit of the AFC South and a playoff berth.
As for the big issue when it comes to Campanile? He has just one season under his belt as an NFL DC.
Before his time in Jacksonville, Campanile’s prior NFL stops were LBs coach in Miami (2020-23) and LBs coach and run game coordinator in Green Bay (2024).
It looks like he has no problem connecting with his players, but is he really ready for that next leap into head-coaching? And can he build a competent coaching staff behind him?
7. Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills OC
Previous ranking: NR
Brady is another fresh face to the Cardinals’ coaching search, reportedly meeting with the team on Tuesday.
He has been with the Bills since 2022, beginning as a QBs coach before taking on coordinator duties. He first served as an interim in 2023 before being hired into the role permanently the following season.
In his two non-interim years on the job, the Bills have been among the top 10 offenses. They have been no worse than fourth in points scored.
And for those still holding out hope that Joe Burrow finds his way to the desert, Brady could be that beacon. Brady coached Burrow as LSU’s OC during its 2019 national championship run, winning the Broyles Award in the process.
8. Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers DC
Previous ranking: NR
With Minter leading the Chargers defense, the unit allowed the nine fewest points (20) and fifth fewest yards (285.2) per game.
But it’s the prior relationship to 2025 second-round pick and Cardinals CB Will Johnson from Minter’s time as Michigan DC (2022-23) that gives him a slight bump above others on the backend of this ranking.
Minter is definitely a name to watch this hiring cycle, especially after he reportedly canceled a second interview with the Cleveland Browns on Thursday.
That likely means he’s in the mix for another head-coaching gig, such as the Baltimore Ravens — a place he has coached at before as an assistant — and Cardinals.
9. Arthur Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers OC
Previous ranking: NR
The last former head coach in the ranking, Smith turned in a 21-30 record with the Falcons from 2021-23.
Most recently, Smith has served as the Steelers OC the past two seasons.
Pittsburgh has struggled offensively under Smith, ranking no better than the 23rd offense since 2024.
He did, however, have a strong stint as the Titans OC from 2019-20. In 2020, Tennessee had a top three offense (396.4) and was fourth in points scored (30.7).
10. Matt Burke, Houston Texans DC
Previous ranking: NR
Another familiar face for the Cardinals, Burke spent 2022 as Arizona’s DL coach.
He went on to serve as Texans DC these past three seasons and was a key cog to Houston’s top ranked unit (277.2 yards allowed per game) this past season.
Burke also has prior coordinator experience from his time in Miami (2017-18) and Philadelphia (2020), albeit solely focused on the run game.
11. Chris Shula, Los Angeles Rams DC
Previous ranking: NR
If there’s one thing about Shula, the NFC West connection is certainly there.
Shula has been within the Rams organization since 2017. He started as an assistant LBs coach (2017-18) before promotions to OLBs coach (2019-20), LBs coach (2021), pass game coordinator and DBs coach (2022), pass rusher coordinator and LBs coach (2023) and defensive coordinator (2024-present).
There aren’t many parts of the Rams defense he hasn’t extensively worked with at this rate.
This past season, the Rams allowed the 10th fewest points (20.4) and were 17th in total defense per game (327.5 yards).
12. Thomas Brown, New England Patriots passing game coordinator
Previous ranking: 7
Brown is in his first season as Patriots passing game coordinator and tight ends coach after serving as the Chicago Bears’ offensive coordinator and interim head coach the season prior.
New England has found a lot of success through the air this past season, ranking fourth (250.5 yards per game) and tied for fifth in touchdowns (31).
13. Anthony Weaver, Miami Dolphins DC
Previous ranking: 8
Weaver has served as Miami’s DC the past two seasons. Before that, he had NFL stints in Baltimore (2021-23), Houston (2016-20), Cleveland (2014-15), Buffalo (2013) and the New York Jets (2012).
His only other defensive coordinator job across those stops was with Cleveland.
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