Current, Former Cardinals Named HC Candidates to Watch

Watch for these three names as a busy coaching cycle looks to ramp up.

Sep 29, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

ARIZONA -- It's nearly time for Black Monday, and a few current/former Arizona Cardinals coaches have been tabbed as names to watch for potential job openings across the NFL.

There's currently three openings at the moment (Jets/Saints/Bears) though more openings are expected with the end of the regular season upon us.

CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan recently highlighted a ranking of 15 head coaching candidates to watch this offseason, and one current Cardinals coordinator cracked the list along with two familiar faces currently in different places.

Arizona Cardinals OC Drew Petzing

Sep 10, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon (left) hugs Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing before the game against the Washington Commander at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brent Skeen-Imagn Images / Brent Skeen-Imagn Images

Rank: 14

Sullivan: "Petzing is in his second season as the Cardinals offensive coordinator and is an underrated candidate who shouldn't be overlooked this cycle. The 37-year-old comes from the Mike Zimmer coaching tree that has also produced two-time NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski, whom he also coached under before heading to Arizona. The Cardinals offense has been efficient under Petzing, ranking 11th in the league in total yards. It has found particular success on the ground, finishing second in the league in yards per attempt in 2023 and currently ranking second in that category again in 2024 entering Week 18."

Our take: Petzing was certainly a hot name earlier in the season, though Arizona's overall offensive output has cooled significantly post-bye week, which has derailed his outside shot of landing interviews. He's still certainly a name to watch in the future, though this cycle will yield very little to no momentum for his positioning as a head coaching candidate.

Denver Broncos DC Vance Joseph

Aug 25, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Rank: 7

Sullivan: "It's underrated how wild it is that Joseph is putting together a strong résumé to once again be a head coach in the NFL while serving as the defensive coordinator on the team that fired him as head coach back in 2018. His reclamation in Denver has been a feel-good story that deserves more attention and should get him interviews this cycle. As the DC under Sean Payton, Joseph's Broncos are arguably the best defense in the NFL. Entering Week 18, Denver is giving up the fifth-fewest points allowed and fourth in total takeaways."

Our take: Joseph has done some fairly strong work with Denver's defense, and thanks to his prior head coaching experience, he should get a handful of interviews at minimum despite being a defensive guy in a league that favors younger offensive play-callers.

Washington Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury

Sep 29, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury against the Arizona Cardinals in the second half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Rank: 6

Sullivan: "It came as a bit of a shock when Dan Quinn plucked Kingsbury and placed him back into relevancy as the Commanders offensive coordinator, but it was a move that has wholeheartedly paid off. Kingsbury has helped develop No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels into one of the most productive rookie quarterbacks of all time, and Washington is playoff bound. The ability to coach up an offense and develop a young quarterback are two massive pluses for Kingsbury if he looks to become a head coach again in the NFL. One team that could be fascinating to watch with him is the Bears, as he coached Caleb Williams at USC."

Our take: Kingsbury's going to get plenty of looks this offseason thanks to the tremendous job he's done in Washington, and as described in our spin for Joseph, Kingsbury fits the bill of what NFL teams are looking for in a young offensive-minded coach. Can he learn from his prior experience in Arizona? If so, he'll be seen as one of the top candidates this offseason and rightfully so.