Cardinals’ disappointing season may condemn Gannon more than prior track record favors him

On their 12th defeat before Christmas, the Cardinals did what they do best: They found a way to lose.

They are the most generous team in the NFL. It is the only constant in a season circling the drain.

A 26-19 loss to the Falcons arrives with very little outrage. It marked the last chance to reward diehard fans still making the trek to State Farm Stadium. It represented their best chance to break a losing streak and grab a consolation prize for head coach Jonathan Gannon, who is threatening to lose more games in Year 3 than he did in Year 1.

That’s a bad look and a big problem.

Gannon’s future is a heavy question in Arizona, a head coach who is 15-32 overall and just posted a 1-7 record at home. Head coaches who fail to post a winning season in their first three years rarely get a fourth chance in the NFL. His return in 2026 would seem like a concession to low standards, a testament to the organization’s overall lack of urgency.

There was a time when Gannon had a very strong approval rating in the Valley. For two consecutive years, he received stellar marks in the NFLPA report card that largely condemned team facilities and ownership. Even now, in a season that has featured separate five- and seven-game losing streaks, his players still sing his praises and generally play hard under his command.

So: Should you fire a head coach after two good seasons and one dumpster fire?

Opinions vary. Some NFL insiders seem to think Gannon will get another shot, that the Kyler Murray saga and the rash of injuries in 2025 warrant some grace and a mulligan. And yet an anonymous NFL general manager was quoted in The Washington Post as saying, “they can’t bring (Gannon) back. He’ll be running someone’s defense next year. You don’t survive a collapse like this.”

Locally, the decline of the 2025 Cardinals has clearly changed the perception of Gannon. Especially when the rest of the NFC West is playoff-bound and flourishing. On Sunday, the Cardinals lost a game when their dormant running game came alive; when Trey McBride was finally shut down by an opposing defense and Elijah Higgins was the team’s leading receiver. Different facts, same result.

At the moment, the Seahawks, Rams and 49ers are a combined 33-11. The Cardinals are 3-12. And some numbers don’t lie.

Our NFL franchise is light years behind their primary competition, namely their rivals in the NFC West. And hope in the current regime is flickering and fading fast.

Reach Bickley at dbickley@arizonasports.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.

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