Former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon is almost certain to have a job in 2026. The questions are: What job and where?
Gannon will interview for the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator job on Tuesday, the Commanders’ defensive coordinator job on Thursday and the Titans’ head coaching job on Sunday, NFL Media reports.
The Cardinals fired Gannon last week after three seasons as the team’s head coach.
The Cardinals had a record of 15-36 in Gannon’s tenure, including a 3-14 record in 2025. While Arizona started the season 2-0 with victories over New Orleans and Carolina, the team lost 14 of its last 15 games, with the only victory coming against Dallas in Week 9.
The club’s high-water mark under Gannon was 8-9 in 2024. That came after a 4-13 season to open Gannon’s tenure in 2023.
Gannon earned his head coaching job after two seasons as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator. He has also worked for the Falcons, Titans, Vikings and Colts, although his time with the Eagles is his only experience as a defensive coordinator.
The Commanders are promoting David Blough to offensive coordinator, according to multiple reports.
Blough has spent the past two seasons as the team’s assistant quarterbacks coach.
The Lions had shown interest in Blough, who served as a backup quarterback for Detroit for four seasons. He played under Ben Johnson, Kevin O’Connell and Kliff Kingsbury.
After he finished his playing career in 2023, Blough immediately stepped into coaching with the Commanders.
He replaces Kingsbury, whom the team fired despite the support of quarterback Jayden Daniels.
The Commanders had already lost quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard, who left during the season to become the head coach at Stanford University.
The team also fired defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson.
The Commanders also interviewed Cowboys tight ends coach Lunda Wells and Cardinals passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach Drew Terrell for the job.
The Commanders have interviewed Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen for their vacant defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports.
Chiefs star defensive lineman Chris Jones reacted to the news on social media, replying, “Oh, sh!+. . . . .”
Cullen entered the NFL as a defensive assistant in 2006 with the Lions. He returned to the college ranks in 2009 before the Jaguars hired him as their defensive line coach a year later. He also was the defensive line coach for the Browns (2013), Bucs (2014-15), Ravens (2016-20) and joined the Chiefs in that role in 2022.
In 2021, Cullen was the defensive coordinator of the Jaguars.
The Commanders are seeking to replace defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., whom they fired earlier this week.
The Chiefs have already lost assistant defensive line coach Alex Whittingham to the University of Michigan, and they fired wide receivers coach Connor Embree.
The Commanders have gotten their search for an offensive coordinator going with an external candidate.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Washington has interviewed Cardinals receivers coach and passing game coordinator Drew Terrell for the role.
Terrell, 34, had been with Arizona since 2023. But he was previously with Washington from 2020-2022 under former head coach Ron Rivera, first as assistant receivers coach and then as receivers coach.
He also coached under Rivera with the Panthers from 2018-2019 as an offensive quality control coach.
Notably, Rapoport also reports that the Commanders have interviewed “several” internal candidates. JP Finlay of NBC 4 Washington speculates those candidates were likely assistant head coach/offensive pass game coordinator Brian Johnson, run game coordinator/running backs coach Anthony Lynn, and assistant QBs coach David Blough.
The Commanders have requested permission to speak with Cowboys tight ends coach Lunda Wells about their offensive coordinator opening, Todd Archer of ESPN reports.
Wells has spent six seasons in his current job, which includes three seasons with Commanders head coach Dan Quinn on staff.
The Commanders are seeking to replace Kliff Kingsbury, whom Quinn fired earlier this week.
Washington had starting quarterback Jayden Daniels for only seven games this season because of injuries. The Commanders ranked 22nd in yards and 22nd in points.
Wells also coached for the Giants from 2013-19, first as an offensive quality control coach and then as the assistant offensive line coach. From 2008-11, he was on the LSU staff.
