5 NFL coaches Cardinals could've considered for HC instead of Jonathan Gannon 

The Arizona Cardinals have a new head coach, Jonathan Gannon. The former Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator took on the job just days after taking his team to the Super Bowl. After working in a variety of positions on defense, he now takes his first head coaching job.

It might be a good fit, but he was not the only option available. There were reports that Arizona were trying to get Sean Payton before he chose the Denver Broncos. They interviewed other candidates as well who might have taken this job.

While we wish Gannon all the best, there are a couple of issues that stand out. An example being that the Eagles gave up 38 points in the Super Bowl and suffered some lapses in concentration during the final games of the regular season. Furthermore, with Kyler Murray's situation, maybe an offensive coach might have been better.

Considering such factors, we look at some other candidates the Cardinals could have chosen.

Who else would have made sense for the Cardinals?

#1 - Dan Quinn, DC, Dallas Cowboys

NFC Divisional Playoffs - Dallas Cowboys v San Francisco 49ers

If the Cardinals wanted a defensive-minded coach like Jonathan Gannon, they could have looked at Dan Quinn instead. While Philadelphia allowed fewer yards per game, their points allowed was not as good as that of the Dallas Cowboys.

While the difference was marginal (with the Eagles defense allowing 20.2 points per game compared to 20.1 for Dallas), Philadelphia was playing with Jalen Hurts, who did not turn the ball over with the frequency of Dak Prescott.

That could have been a convincing argument to hire Quinn. However, he also has a head coaching pedigree, something Gannon does not. He took the Atlanta Falcons to the Super Bowl. At the time, he ensured that even though he came from a defensive standpoint, the offense flourished with Matt Ryan being named league MVP that season.

Considering the situation in Arizona, where they need a coach who can develop Kyler Murray, this might have been a very good fit.

#2 - Eric Bienemy, OC, Kansas City Chiefs

If one was looking for an offensive play-caller who has the resume to beat anybody else, it would have to be Eric Bienemy at the moment. He has been with the Kansas City Chiefs since 2018 and has won two Super Bowls. Bienemy has worked magic with Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and ensured that their offense flourishes even without Tyreek Hill this season.

The issue with him is that he is always overshadowed by Andy Reid. The veteran coach gets credit for the play calls. However, considering that the Cardinals desperately need to figure out how best to use Kyler Murray, an offensive-minded coach like him could have been an asset.

#3 - Brian Flores, DC, Minnesota Vikings

Pittsburgh Steelers v Miami Dolphins

Brian Flores is the newly minted defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings. He spent a year in Pittsburgh after his departure from the Miami Dolphins, but he now has a position in Minnesota. He was reported to have been interviewed for the job in Arizona.

While Jonathan Gannon has done an amazing job this season, he does not have head coaching experience. That is something Flores had with Miami. He also had the job of handling a young quarterback there, who he had to mentor and help grow. He has been in that situation before as a head coach and might have risen to the occasion with the Cardinals.

#4 - Mike Kafka, OC, New York Giants

In this year's NFL honors, the Coach of the Year award went to Brian Daboll. Not many would argue with it given where the New York Giants were a year ago compared to them making it to the Divisional round this season. One of the main reasons for their improvement was the increased maturity shown by quarterback Daniel Jones. Much of that credit should go to Mike Kafka, who oversees the offense there.

He has experience mentoring Patrick Mahomes in his initial years and has now turned Daniel Jones from being a near-bust to a good quarterback. This is someone who could have been just the right person to take Kyler Murray's development to the next stage.

#5 - Steve Wilks, DC, San Francisco 49ers

Denver Broncos v Carolina Panthers

One can see why the Cardinals went with a defensive coach like Gannon. Despite needing someone to cajole the best performance out of Kyler Murray, another worry was their defense. They shipped 26.2 points per game, the second-worst in the league behind the Chicago Bears.

When confronted with this dual problem, the best person based on current record should have been Steve Wilks. He was the interim head coach of the Carolina Panthers and turned around a team that had looked hopeless all season. He suddenly got Sam Darnold looking like a real quarterback. He also tightened the defense and improved the run game. He showed his all-round caliber.

The obvious issue with this choice would have been his previous history with the Cardinals, where he finished 3-13 in the 2018 season. However, that was before Kyler Murray was drafted and he had to manage with Mike Glennon and Josh Rosen.

Considering his familiarity with the Cardinals and given both he and the team were in a different situation then, this could have been a possible, albeit unusual, option.