Raheem Morris has been on the hot seat for weeks, but following another Atlanta Falcons victory, many of the questions surrounding his future have been answered. It appears that Arthur Blank will likely give Morris a third season after beating another team with a coach whose future is in doubt.
The Falcons' 26-19 over the Arizona Cardinals was pivotal in helping dictate the future of the 49-year-old, and the same could be said for Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon. However, while the upset win was a positive sign for Morris' future, it could be the final nail in Gannon's coffin in Arizona.
The 3-12 Cardinals lost their seventh straight game on Sunday, which doesn't give Michael Bidwill much of a choice moving forward. Gannon has compiled a 15-34 (.306) record at the helm in Arizona, which almost certainly suggests that the Dirty Birds played a part in his looming firing this offseason.
In a shocking twist of fate, Raheem Morris may have gotten Jonathan Gannon fired
The Cardinals went 8-9 last season and have regressed heavily in 2025 despite fielding a competitive roster. While the 42-year-old's prospects this season have been hampered by injuries to stars Kyler Murray and James Conner, it doesn't change how underwhelming this season has been in the desert.
His predecessor, Kliff Kingsbury, wasn't any better, but at least he took the team to the playoffs. An offense with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride shouldn't be this disappointing, especially given Murray has consistently shown he can be a capable starting quarterback in this league in the past.
Moreover, the biggest disappointment under Gannon has been the defense. He fielded an elite defense in Philadelphia, so the expectation was that the Cardinals would have the same. But instead, Arizona's defense has been among the bottom 10-12 in football in all three seasons since taking over.
Cardinals total defense ranks under Jonathan Gannon (including 2025)
- 2025: 26th
- 2024: 21st
- 2023: 25th
Just like the Falcons, it's not like the Cardinals have a bad roster. In both 2020 and 2021, their defense ranked inside the top half of the NFL in total defense and were allowing far less points. But for a team with a "defensive guru" at the helm, their defensive production has left a lot to be desired.
Josh Sweat has been a good pickup in free agency and there are some young pieces on the defense, but it has yet to translate into production. Bijan Robinson totaled 168 scrimmage yards against a weak Cardinals' run defense, while Tyler Allgeier totaled a team-high 79 rushing yards in the victory.
So if you think Morris has done a bad job, he's still lightyears better than Gannon.