At one point, not too long ago, there seemed to be an endless list of possibilities surrounding the Arizona Cardinals’ future head coach.
However, things have not exactly panned out as many would have liked, and now, the Cardinals are left with two choices.
Mike Kafka and Lou Anarumo are the final two head coaching candidates left for Arizona to choose from.
By no means is this meant to degrade the talent that these two coaches both have, however, it would be naive to say that either were Michael Bidwill’s first choice.
Here is everything you need to know about these highly respected coaches:
Mike Kafka
During his time as the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback coach from 2017–2021, Kafka helped bring home a Super Bowl ring with Patrick Mahomes.
In games where Mahomes started that season, the Chiefs were 14-1, and the five-time Pro Bowler led the league with 316 passing yards per game.
But most recently, Mike Kafka has helped turn the New York Giants around with Daniel Jones at quarterback.
The Giants quickly went from being at the bottom of the NFC East with a 4-13 record to making the playoffs in 2022 with a 9-7-1 record.
And even more importantly, Kafka led Daniel Jones to a breakout season through both the ground and in the air. Jones set career highs in just about every category and finished 5th in the NFL among QBs with 708 rushing yards.
Kafka’s creative play calling and willingness to run the football with his quarterback make him a great fit for the Cardinals next season.
Lou Anarumo
Lou Anarumo has been an NFL coach since 2012, most recently as the Bengals’ defensive coordinator for the past four seasons.
Before taking over the defense, the Bengals were consistently at the bottom of the league for points allowed, yards allowed, etc.
Fast forward to 2022, and Cincinnati finished the regular season in the top 10 for just about every defensive category. A highly impressive boost considering the Bengals are mainly known for their high-powered offense.
Anarumo has also served as the Dolphins’ defensive backs coach from 2012 to 2017 and as the Giants’ defensive backs coach in 2018.
Just the type of defensive specialist that the Cardinals may need.
Who would you rather have Arizona announce as their head coach?
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