Bengals DC Lou Anarumo reportedly to meet Friday with Cardinals
Feb 10, 2023, 7:52 AM
Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo during the game against the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals on August 27, 2022, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo will meet Friday with the Arizona Cardinals over their vacant head-coaching job, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
It will be Anarumo’s second session with the team that has yet to hire a head coach.
The Cardinals have narrowed their search down to Anarumo and New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. It has already been reported Arizona is not expected to name a replacement for head coach Kliff Kingsbury before hosting the Super Bowl at State Farm Stadium on Sunday.
MMQB’s Albert Breer reported that Kafka’s second interview with Arizona was held on Tuesday via Zoom.
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The process has been prolonged as several other potential candidates have taken other jobs. Sean Payton, who visited Arizona, chose to join the Denver Broncos.
The Cardinals reportedly interviewed Cowboys DC Dan Quinn twice before he decided to go back to Dallas. And former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive assistant Brian Flores reportedly had scheduled a second interview with Arizona but took the defensive coordinator job with the Minnesota Vikings before meeting again with the Cardinals.
Arizona owner Michael Bidwill has also been busy with his team’s hosting of Super Bowl LVII.
Breer reported Monday that Arizona told defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan they had all been eliminated from consideration. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Detroit Lions DC Aaron Glenn also was out of the running.
As for Anarumo, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that he made a good impression on the organization during his first interview.
Anarumo joined the Bengals in 2019 as defensive coordinator. He’s been a part of many high-stakes games in his tenure, including two AFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl.
Cincinnati allowed the sixth-fewest points per game in the NFL in 2022 with 20.1 and was No. 11 in defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA) on that side of the ball, per Football Outsiders.
Anarumo was previously a defensive backs coach with the Giants in 2018 and the Miami Dolphins from 2012-17. Joseph was Miami’s DC with Anaurumo on the staff in 2016.
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