The Cardinals' coaching search has remained quiet for the past several days but has continued behind closed doors, with at least one interview completed and at least one new name being added to the mix.
Cardinals president Michael Bidwill was in Denver on Saturday to interview Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, whom Bidwill identified last week as one of the candidates for the job. The 40-year-old McCoy, a 13-year NFL assistant who has managed the Broncos' offense for the past three years and also served as the Panthers' passing-game coordinator in 2007 and '08, also was to interview with the Eagles and Bears on Sunday during the Broncos' playoff bye week.
McCoy was not available for comments following his interview with the Cardinals.
On Sunday, CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora reported that the Cards are interested in Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, brother of ESPN NFL analyst Jon Gruden. La Canfora indicated that, according to a league source, both the Cardinals and Eagles intend to interview the 45-year-old Gruden this week.
Defensive coordinator Ray Horton is the only candidate other than McCoy the Cardinals are known to have interviewed. Horton, along with the rest of the defensive staff, was not let go when coach Ken Whisenhunt, general manager Rod Graves and the offensive staff were fired last Monday. Horton also interviewed with the Browns and Bills last week, but the Bills hired Syracuse coach Doug Marrone on Sunday, and Horton is not believed to be a frontrunner in Cleveland.
Meanwhile, Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley, whom the
Cardinals were granted permission to contact late last week, might not
interview for the job, according to ESPN. A story published Friday
quoted a source as saying that Haley was undecided whether to go
through with an interview to avoid putting his job with the Steelers in
jeopardy.
It has been rumored that the Cardinals are interested in Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, who served as interim coach this year while coach Chuck Pagano battled cancer, but nothing definitive has been reported or announced. Arians missed the Colts' season-ending playoff loss to the Ravens on Sunday with an unspecified illness that forced him into the hospital; it is unknown if that will affect his plans to interview for head coaching jobs, as the Bears, Eagles and Chargers also have expressed interest.
Coaches who are out of the mix at this point include Andy Reid, an early frontrunner who has since been hired by the Chiefs, and Bill O'Brien, whom the Cards were reportedly interested in before he announced a return to Penn State on Friday. It is unknown whether the Cardinals had interest in or contact with Chip Kelly, but he was reportedly set to decide Sunday whether to take over the Browns or Eagles — both of whom interviewed Kelly over the weekend — or stay at Oregon.
