Arizona Cardinals down to 3 finalists for head coach job?
Oct 28, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) against the Green Bay Packers at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Arizona Cardinals are moving closer to hiring a new head coach.
The Cardinals have begun to inform some candidates that they are no longer being considered for the job. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan and Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn were all told they are no longer in consideration.
The three known finalists are: Brian Flores, New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, and Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. It’s unclear whether Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is a candidate for the job.
According to Albert Breer, the interviews for Kafka and Anarumo will be via Zoom.
Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka's second interview with the Cardinals will be held on Tuesday, via Zoom. As we said last night, Bengals DC Lou Anarumo's second interview will be held Friday, also via Zoom.
Those are the two known finalists in Arizona.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 5, 2023
Flores is the only one of the three finalists who has previous experience as an NFL head coach. He coached the Miami Dolphins for three season but was fired despite going 9-8 in 2021. He subsequently filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the league and several teams. The 41-year-old spent this season as an assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Kafka, 35, only has one season of experience as a coordinator. He was with the Chiefs from 2017-2021 in various offensive roles. This season he served as the Giants’ offensive coordinator, helping to get the most out of Daniel Jones.
Anarumo, 56, has been the Bengals’ defensive coordinator since 2019. Cincinnati’s defense was sixth in the league in points allowed this season.
The Cardinals are looking to hire a new head coach after firing Kliff Kingsbury following the season. There has been speculation that one factor is making their search for a new head coach difficult.
