The head coaching search continues for the Arizona Cardinals. But today, it feels different.
The Cardinals are bringing in Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile for a second, in-person interview, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
While the Cardinals have at least a dozen official candidates for their vacant head coaching position, this is the first time Campanile’s name has come up in reports.
Unlike most teams with a vacancy, the Cardinals are not publicly announcing every interview with every candidate.
A second interview could mean that Campanile is one of the finalists for the position.
Campanile was a longtime college and high school assistant before transitioning to the professional level. He was the Miami Dolphins’ linebackers coach from 2020-23, before taking the same position with the Green Bay Packers for a season.
He was hired last offseason as the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator, and immediately thrived.
What Would Campanile Bring to the Arizona Cardinals?
Campanile, 43, is a fast-riser in NFL coaching circles. His success backs it up.
In 2025, he presided over the top run-stuffing defense in the NFL by yards per game allowed (85.6). The Jaguars were also eighth in scoring defense, helping first-year head coach Liam Coen to a 13-4 record.
This was a stark difference from the previous year, when Jacksonville was 27th in scoring defense.
The Jaguars had 22 interceptions, second in the NFL behind the Chicago Bears.
Led by Devin Lloyd and Antonio Johnson, who each had five interceptions, the Jaguars’ defense made key plays at the right times.
However, the pass rush was a bit suspect with just 32 sacks on the year. To put that into context, Jonathan Gannon’s group had 30 sacks in 2025. Josh Hines-Allen led the group with just eight sacks.
While the Jaguars would win the AFC South division, they would ultimately lose to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round.
Does Campanile Have a Chance to be Head Coach?
While Campanile’s success is undeniable in each opportunity he has been given, his lack of experience as a defensive coordinator at the professional level could hold him back.
Looking back at the last few head coaches the Cardinals have hired, Gannon was the defensive coordinator for just two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles before becoming head coach.
Kliff Kingsbury had no experience at the NFL level before accepting the Cardinals’ job. Steve Wilks had just one season as defensive coordinator before his one season with Arizona.
The last head coach the Cardinals hired with significant NFL play-calling experience was Bruce Arians.
The “quarterback whisperer” is still Arizona’s winningest coach.
If the Cardinals want to hire the right guy, it’s wise to look at experience above all else. Gannon, Kingsbury and Wilks failed to bring the Cardinals back to the relevance Arians had done.
With the Cardinals still looking for a franchise quarterback, it is imperative that owner Michael Bidwill and general manager Monti Ossenfort nail this hiring, or else they might be in the same position again in just a few years.
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