As the Arizona Cardinals look to hire Kliff Kingsbury’s replacement as head coach, it appears that the organization has requested to interview two of the NFL’s top coordinators for the head coaching job, both of whom have been overlooked during this hiring cycle.
According to Peter Schrager of FoxSports and NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football,” the Cardinals have requested an interview with Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. NFL insider Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports that the Cardinals have also requested an interview with Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, who is also a candidate for the Indianapolis Colts head coaching vacancy.
Now that the Bengals have officially been eliminated from the playoffs, following Sunday’s AFC Championship Game loss in Kansas City, there are no restrictions on when Arizona can speak with both Anarumo and Callahan — the architects of some of the league’s top defensive and offensive units, respectively.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport of NFL Network compared the situation to what the Cardinals faced in 2013. The then-Los Angeles Chargers hired Mike McCoy, who was also a candidate for the Arizona head job, to be their next head coach. The Cardinals pivoted to Bruce Arians, who Rapoport described as a “charismatic leader who most overlooked.”
That hire certainly ended up working out for Arizona. The Cardinals are clearly hoping that they can catch lightning in a bottle, nearly a decade later.
[Peter Schrager, Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport]
