Jonathan Gannon (born January 4, 1983) is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He also previously served as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, and Philadelphia Eagles.
Early years
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Gannon attended Saint Ignatius High School where he was a successful three-sport athlete, winning a state championship in basketball as a point guard, a district champion as a hurdler in track, and won a state championship as a standout wide receiver and defensive back.
Gannon went on to play at the University of Louisville until he suffered a career-ending injury. He remained with the program as a volunteer assistant during the 2003–2005 seasons. He was a graduate assistant the next season for Louisville.
Coaching career
Atlanta Falcons
In 2007, Gannon was hired by the Atlanta Falcons as a defensive quality control coach, following Bobby Petrino to the National Football League.
St. Louis Rams
In 2009, Gannon was hired by the St. Louis Rams as a college scout. He was promoted to a pro scout in 2010 and left the Rams in 2011.
Tennessee Titans
In 2012, Gannon returned to coaching and was hired by the Tennessee Titans as a defensive quality control coach, a position he served in until 2013.
Minnesota Vikings
In 2014, Gannon was hired by the Minnesota Vikings as their assistant defensive backs and defensive quality control coach. He served in this role for four seasons before leaving the Vikings following the 2017 season.
Indianapolis Colts
In 2018, Gannon was hired by the Indianapolis Colts as their defensive backs and cornerbacks coach under head coach Frank Reich and stayed there until 2020.
Philadelphia Eagles
In 2021, Gannon was hired by the Philadelphia Eagles as the team's defensive coordinator.
Gannon faced heavy criticism after the Eagles blew a ten-point halftime lead and his defensive unit gave up 31 points to lose by a score of 38–35 in Super Bowl LVII. The Eagles became just the second team in NFL history to blow a double-digit lead at halftime in Super Bowl history. Gannon was described as failing to adjust in the second half as the Chiefs' offense scored on every drive. In the second half, the Eagles secondary appeared confused leaving the Chiefs' receivers wide open at times. Additionally, Gannon was criticized for staying in a soft zone the entire game, allowing Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to throw quick passes that prevented the Eagles' defensive line from getting any pressure.
Arizona Cardinals
Two days after losing Super Bowl LVII, Gannon was hired by the Arizona Cardinals as their head coach on February 14, 2023.
On April 27, 2023, it was revealed that Gannon had interviewed with the Cardinals the week after the Eagles won NFC Championship Game, which is a period of impermissible conduct. According to Marcus Hayes of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles front office was furious at Gannon believing that he was distracted prior to the Super Bowl. As a result of the tampering, the Eagles and Cardinals announced they had swapped third round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft and the Cardinals received the Eagles' 2024 fifth round pick.
2023 season
Gannon won his first preseason game 18–17 against the Denver Broncos on August 11, 2023. However, the Cardinals lost in Gannon's regular-season debut against the Washington Commanders by a score of 16–20 on September 10, 2023. On September 24, 2023, Gannon won his first regular-season game as an NFL head coach against the Dallas Cowboys by a score of 28–16.
Head coaching record
Personal life
Gannon is married and has three children.