The Arizona Cardinals face a sobering reality with their coaching search. While they secured a second interview with San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, that opportunity never materialized. Instead, Saleh was hired by the Tennessee Titans to be their next head coach.
This development isn’t all that surprising. When news first broke of the Cardinals’ landing an interview with Saleh, Arizona Sports radio host John Gambadoro tweeted, “If he leaves Tennessee good sign for Cardinals if he doesn’t it says a lot.”
On his next show, Gambadoro pointed out the tough reality the Cardinals face in hiring a top coaching candidate.
“You’re in the toughest division, you have uncertainty at quarterback, you’ve got a franchise with a history of losing, it’s a tough sell. It’s a tough sell to anybody.
“If you’re Robert Saleh and you’ve got options, OK, you’re not going to take this job. I would expect that the guy who takes the Cardinals job does not have other options.”
To further prove Gambadoro’s point, there are only 32 head coaching jobs in the NFL. This year, there were a total of 10 teams changing their head coach, with four of those vacancies already filled.
- New York Giants: John Harbaugh
- Atlanta Falcons: Kevin Stefanski
- Miami Dolphins: Jeff Hafley
- Tennessee Titans: Robert Saleh
Why the Cardinals are a Tough Sell to Coaching Candidates
While Gambadoro notes the division and quarterback situation, the Cardinals’ problems go deeper than that.
Michael Bidwill has arguably one of the worst reputations among the 32 NFL owners. Bidwill has the third-lowest grade for ownership on the 2025 NFLPA report cards, getting a D- from the players. Only Woody Johnson of the New York Jets and David Tepper of the Carolina Panthers got as bad or worse a grade.
While Bidwill certainly contributes to the problem, he’s not the main reason the Cardinals have the worst coaching situation in this year’s cycle. USA Today ranked the current six openings, placing the Cardinals dead last. That came after a surprise spot opened up following the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs.
The more complicated situation is what the Cardinals will do with starting quarterback Kyler Murray. Murray was the unquestioned starter going into his seventh year in Arizona, but a Lisfranc injury ended his season after five games. The Cardinals went 1-11 in their final 12 games.
Murray is under contract for the 2026 season, but comes with a cap hit of $52.6 million per overthecap.com. That’s too high a cap number for the team to carry, making him a trade candidate. Given the weak quarterback class, in large part due to Dante Moore’s decision to go back to Oregon, a trade could be possible.
Another possibility in this search is that head coaching candidates have a plan to win with Murray. Unless the Cardinals can successfully trade or sign a quarterback in free agency, 2026 is likely to be a rebuild season. The draft doesn’t offer clear solutions, as Ty Simpson may serve as a litmus test for the franchise if he even lasts past the Jets’ pick at No. 2.
The Remaining Head Coach Vacancies in the NFL
The next team that everyone will monitor is the Buffalo Bills. They have a top-echelon quarterback in Josh Allen, if they can coach some of the turnovers out of him. With no dominant team in the AFC, the Bills still have a strong shot at winning a Super Bowl in the next few seasons.
Afterward, the Ravens and the Raiders will likely be next, as both teams have a clear solution at quarterback. Lamar Jackson is an MVP candidate, giving a prospective head coach a win-now situation. The Ravens still have the best long-term situation in the AFC North.
The Raiders’ job isn’t necessarily a quick-fix situation, as the main selling point is the team’s potential. They have the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, and they’ll likely select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. If Mendoza proves to be the right quarterback, they’ll vault up to contender status in a couple of years.
The Cardinals are also competing with the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers can use coaching stability as a selling point, having only three head coaches since 1969. The Browns have arguably the best defensive player in football in Myles Garrett, which should lure a defensive-minded coach. The Cardinals have none of those.
The Cardinals still don’t lack pieces. Trey McBride is an elite tight end, giving any offensive playcaller a cheat code. They have a solid defensive back group, which is no surprise given former head coach Jonathan Gannon’s coaching background. However, the NFL is now a quarterback league, and the Cardinals don’t have a clear solution in place.
It could very well be possible that Arizona becomes the last team to fill its coaching vacancy in 2026. It will most likely be another first-time coach or someone desperate enough to get a job.
While the Cardinals were unable to close on Saleh, they secured a second interview with another defensive coordinator from a playoff team. This will serve as another litmus test on the franchise’s ability to land a top head coach candidate.
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