Stay up-to-date on the changes to the Arizona Cardinals coaching staff
Updated chart with some of the reported hires. pic.twitter.com/SWm8UY2p1z
— The Cardinal Rule (@jokomo13) February 22, 2023
Head Coach – Jonathan Gannon
Source: The deal is now done. https://t.co/gLoUUNe28A
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 14, 2023
On February 14, 2023 the Cardinals announced former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon as their new head coach, the 39th in franchise history.
Gannon is coming off a great defensive season with the Philadelphia Eagles where he put together a stout defense that was in the top ten of nearly every defensive category. They gave up the least passing yards in the league and the second least yards per play to go along with an astounding 70 sacks on the season.
The Cardinals are taking a big shift in the opposite direction after things didn’t work out with the offensive-minded Kliff Kingsbury after a disastrous 4-13 season.
Gannon was introduced to the media on Thursday, February 16 and promised an “adaptable, violent, explosive, and smart” team. He also reiterated several times that Kyler Murray is the franchise quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals and the team will be built around his talents which Gannon described as “elite”.
For some key takeaways from the introductory press conference, check this out. Read: Key Points from Gannon’s Press Conference
Defensive Coordinator – Nick Rallis
The #Cardinals are hiring 29-year-old Nick Rallis as their defensive coordinator, per sources.
Rallis — who starred at LB for Edina High School and the University of Minnesota — was on staff in Philly with Jonathan Gannon. He now becomes the NFL’s youngest coordinator. pic.twitter.com/Hy7CqrPa4z
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 19, 2023
Late February 18, 2023 it was learned that the Arizona Cardinals had hired Nick Rallis as their new defensive coordinator.
Most recently a linebackers coach with the Philadelphia Eagles, Rallis is following his old boss, Jonathan Gannon, to the desert.
Rallis had also interviewed with Denver and is widely considered one of the brightest young defensive minds in the league. According to Benjamin Allbright of KOA Colorado, some have referred to Rallis as the “Sean McVay of defense”. Quite the compliment for the 29-year old.
Considered by some to be the "Sean McVay of defense." Really bright guy with a big future ahead of him.
Think he winds up in Den or AZ. https://t.co/zN57fMQgej
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) February 12, 2023
Offensive Coordinator – Drew Petzing
The #Cardinals are hiring Drew Petzing as their offensive coordinator, per sources.
Petzing, 35, was most recently the #Browns QBs coach and previously was in Minnesota, where he worked with Jonathan Gannon. A rising young assistant. pic.twitter.com/IlAqYXulVo
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 19, 2023
Busy over the weekend, the Cardinals also hired their offensive coordinator, Drew Petzing, early on February 19, 2023.
Most recently the QB coach for the Cleveland Browns, Petzing has also spent time with the Minnesota Vikings in a variety of roles including assistant wide receivers coach, assistant quarterbacks coach, and eventually wide receivers coach. He also spent time with the Browns as their tight ends coach before moving over to quarterbacks where he spent the 2022 season.
He worked with Gannon for four years in Minnesota when the now head coach was an assistant defensive backs coach from 2014 to 2017.
The Cardinals are finalizing a three-year deal to make Browns QBs coach Drew Petzing their offensive coordinator, per sources. He joins new DC Nick Rallis, who's coming from Philly with Jonathan Gannon.
Both guys topped Gannon's wishlist. Young staff makeup = Similar to Philly.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 19, 2023
Special Teams Coordinator – Jeff Rodgers
According to Ian Rapaport, Jeff Rodgers is being retained as Special Teams Coordinator by new head coach Jonathan Gannon.
#AZCardinals assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers is staying in Arizona after being retained by new head coach Jonathan Gannon, source said. The third AZ HC Rodgers has been on staff for.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 20, 2023
Rodgers was originally hired by Steve Wilks in 2018 after spending three seasons in the same position with the Chicago Bears (2015-2017).
A survivor now of two head coach changes, Rodgers has worked with Steve Wilks, Kliff Kingsbury, and now with Jonathan Gannon. Considered a steady presence in the league, his Cardinals special teams units have produced some spectacular plays through his time with the team and he is respected throughout the league.
Under Kingsbury, Rodgers also held the title of Assistant Head Coach and it is unclear at this point whether he will be retaining the additional title.
Position Coaches
Offensive Line – Klayton Adams
Cardinals are hiring Klayton Adams as their OL coach. Adams was the Colts’ TEs coach the previous two seasons and recently had joined Stanford’s staff as its run-game coordinator and OL coach.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 21, 2023
Late February 20, 2023 Adam Schefter announced that the Cardinals were hiring Klayton Adams as their new offensive line coach.
Adams has experience with a lot of different positions throughout his time in the football world. He has coached the offensive line, tight ends, and running backs in a variety of roles on the college level including positions at Sacramento State, San Jose State, and Colorado between 2007 and 2017. In 2018, he was promoted to co-offensive coordinator for a Colorado Buffaloes squad that started the season 5-0 and in the Top 25, but finished with seven straight losses.
After Colorado, Adams spent two seasons as the assistant offensive line coach for the Indianapolis Colts before spending two additional seasons as the tight end coach in Indy.
Most recently, Adams left the Colts in December for a position at Stanford as the offensive line/running game coordinator for the Cardinal.
Now, he is joining Jonathan Gannon’s staff replacing Sean Kugler who was fired midseason for misconduct in Mexico City.
Tight Ends – Ben Steele
The #Cardinals are hiring veteran assistant Ben Steele as their tight ends coach, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 22, 2023
At 44-years old, new tight ends coach Ben Steele is the oldest member of Jonathan Gannon’s staff to this point.
An undrafted TE coming out of Fort Lewis College in 2001, Steele spent time on a range of practice squads before having 2 seasons in Green Bay from 2004-2005. His career totals there amount to 17 games played and 4 career receptions for 42 yards.
After his playing days came to an end, Steele spent time on several college staffs including Mesa State, Colorado, California, and UC Davis before getting his first NFL gig as an offensive quality control coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Between 2017-2018 he served as the tight ends coach in Tampa and then spent two seasons in Atlanta before two stints as an assistant offensive line coach in Minnesota and Denver, where he was most recently in 2022.
Quarterbacks – Israel Woolfork
I'm now told that #Browns Bill Willis diversity coaching fellow Israel Woolfork has been informed he can join the Arizona #Cardinals staff, per league source. Woolfork is currently expected to be named as the #Cardinals QB coach.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) February 21, 2023
From 2013 to 2021, Israel Woolfork served successively as graduate assistant, running backs coach, and wide receivers coach at Miami University.
In 2021, Woolfork was selected as a Bill Walsh Coaching Fellow and worked with the tight ends in Cleveland. This past season, he received a Bill Willis Coaching Fellowship and stayed with the Brown working as an offensive assistant.
Cornerback – Ryan Smith
Northwestern cornerbacks coach Ryan Smith is taking the same job with the Arizona Cardinals, per source.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) February 22, 2023
Ryan Smith is the Cardinals new cornerbacks coach after spending the last season at Northwestern. Before that, he spent two seasons at Virginia Tech in the same role. While at Virginia Tech, he played a big role in the development of CB Caleb Farley who was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the 1st round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Smith has also spent time on the staffs at James Madison University, Elon University, and Penn State.
As a player, he suited up for Jimmye Laycock at William and Mary and joins a group of NFL alum including Mike Tomlin and Sean McDermott.
Defensive Assistant – Patrick Toney
Patrick Toney, @GatorsFB's co-DC and play-caller last season, is in negotiations to join the NFL's Arizona Cardinals as a defensive assistant, sources tell ESPN, and Florida's Billy Napier is targeting newly hired @AlabamaFTBL assistant Austin Armstrong as Toney's replacement.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) February 22, 2023
Most recently the co-defensive coordinator of the Florida Gators, Patrick Toney is on his way to Arizona.
Toney has held a variety of secondary coaching positions at Southeastern Louisiana, UTSA, Louisiana, and Florida.
Outside Linebackers – Robert Rodriguez
Former Arizona St defensive line coach Robert Rodriguez is staying in the state and becoming the Cardinals’ OLB coach.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 23, 2023
Robert Rodriguez doesn’t have far to go to start his new job as the outside linebackers coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
Since 2020, Rodriguez coached the defensive line for the Arizona State Sun Devils. Before that, he had several years of NFL experience as an assistant defensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings between 2015 and 2019. He has coached linebackers once before for four seasons with the University of Texas-El Paso where he played college ball (as a linebacker, of course) from 2001 to 2004.
Rodriguez was an accomplished linebacker in his college days and is still 5th on the all-time tackle list at UTEP with 443 tackles. After college he bounced around a few practice squads before spending some time in the CFL with the Calgary Stampeders.
Hiring Rumors
I’m told #Commanders wide receivers coach Drew Terrell will be leaving the team, & he is currently expected to take a position with the Arizona #Cardinals, per league sources.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) February 21, 2023
