Clock ticking on Cardinals defensive coordinator search
Jan 20, 2011, 5:43 PM | Updated: 9:14 pm
While seemingly every team in the NFC West has made coaching hires thus far this offseason, the Arizona Cardinals are still searching for a candidate to replace fired defensive coordinator Bill Davis. In the minds of fans and most media members the clock is ticking for the team’s front office to make a decision. The NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi doesn’t agree with that line of thinking.
Lombardi, as a guest on Sports 620 KTAR’s Doug and Wolf show Thursday, explained that fans should be patient as Ken Whisenhunt tries to find the right man for the job.
“Often times you want to get into this ‘media rush’ to get into ‘we have to get this guy or we have to get that guy’,” he told the hosts. “I think it’s to get the right guy. If it takes three weeks to get the right guy it takes three weeks to get the right guy. Ken [Whisenhunt] has fairly good handle on what he’s looking for in his defensive coordinator. He understands exactly what he wants so therefore go out and get the guy that fits the profile perfectly. If it takes three weeks, a month, so be it.”
One name that has been talked about as a possible candidate is Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler. While both Whisenhunt and Cards assistant Russ Grimm both coached with Butler in Pittsburgh even interviewing him may not be a foregone conclusion.
