The Arizona Cardinals are on the doorstep of a new era in the franchise's history. On Monday, the club fired head coach Kliff Kingsbury after four seasons with the organization and saw general manager Steve Keim officially step down to focus on his health. So, the club will have a new head coach and a new GM at the start of 2023.
One thing that will remain intact, however, is the quarterback. While Kyler Murray will be rehabbing this offseason after tearing his ACL against the Patriots in Week 14, he remains entrenched as the team's franchise quarterback, especially after inking a five-year, $230.5 million contract last summer. To further hammer that point home, Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill told reporters on Monday that he expects Murray to have input on the team's upcoming coaching search.
"We're in communication and we should be talking later today, we've texted," Bidwill said. "Absolutely want to get the input of our leaders, including Kyler."
It will be fascinating how this coaching search with the Cardinals unfolds. Do they lean toward another offensive mind that caters to Murray's unique skill set or do they go for someone on the defensive side of the ball? NFL Media reported in the wake of Kingsbury's dismissal that current defensive coordinator Vance Joseph will be considered for the head coaching job, and noted that he is well-respected within the organization. If Murray is included among those who hold Joseph in high regard, that could help him in his pursuit to ascend as head coach.
Whoever ultimately gets hired, the next piece of the puzzle will be building a rapport with Murray. It was clear at various points during the 2022 campaign that Murray and Kingsbury were clashing, so whoever comes in will need to have a more cohesive relationship with Murray as they look to steer the organization in the right direction.
