The last expected move has been made official, as the Cardinals have fired head coach Steve Wilks, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN (Twitter link). 
The team showed a lot of fight in their Week 17 game against the Seahawks but came up short, and it ultimately wasn’t enough to save Wilks’ job. Wilks ended up lasting just one season in Arizona. While being a one and done is rare, it’s certainly not unheard of, and Wilks’ fate was sealed with a 3-13 record. Arizona’s season was doomed from the start, as it was clear right from the get-go that Sam Bradford didn’t have anything left in the tank. Bradford was benched for Josh Rosen, and offensive coordinator Mike McCoy was fired shortly thereafter.
The firing of McCoy did nothing to spark the offense, and Rosen showed little progress during his rookie year, which was likely one of the determining factors in Wilks’ firing. Wilks came to Arizona after a successful year as the Panthers’ defensive coordinator, and has always been well liked by players.
It’s been heavily rumored that the Panthers will have a staff shakeup on defense, and Joe Person of The Athletic tweets that he would “be very surprised” if Wilks doesn’t return to Carolina in some fashion. The Wilks firing makes eight openings across the league, and it will likely be the last firing barring any late surprises.
The Cardinals have been linked to a number of coaches, including Mike McCarthy, and are seemingly interested in hiring an offensive mind to pair with Rosen. They also were reportedly impressed with Patriots defensive coordinator Brian Flores during last year’s cycle, and with Flores set to be one of the top available candidates, could be interested again. At this point it appears that GM Steve Keim, also rumored to have been on the hot seat, has been spared.
Wow, 1 year? Yet the extreme DUI GM keeps his job?
Disgraceful
The GM served his time, both legally and professionally.
Wilkes was a bad hire! He’s a bad HC! And admitting a huge mistake like this is not disgraceful! Disgraceful would be keeping him for like 16 years because you like him and don’t wanna admit the mistake! I’m looking at you Bengals!
Thanks, Resident NFL expert
Any time, your welcome!
Wilkes also signed Bradford to that guaranteed deal, right? That failed after how many game? Historically, how have teams faired when starting a rookie QB? Sure, blame it on the HC. Now I see why a lot of coaches demand roster decision making in their in contracts. So they can win/lose with the players they choose.
Exactly who signed Bradford and Mike freakin Glennon. If Wilks was such a bad hire why does the GM who hired him not get backlash?
Keim signed Bradford and the Cardinals did not have a QB on the roster. Tough sell to an incoming coach with no QB.
So fire the GM too, but the GM being crap doesn’t change that Wilkes is crap too!
See above, no problem firing both!
Wilkes did not sign Bradford. That was the GM’s call.
Did Marvin Lewis ever finish with 3 wins?
Anyone who thinks a first year head coach in his first head-coaching job had any say over the roster is delusional and knows nothing about this sport. He was given a week roster and the general manager fired him to save his own job.
he was underqualified to begin with.. carried over McDermott’s defense in Carolina for 1yr then got HC job… he wasnt ready to be a HC
Yea…. The same McDermott that after seeing Peterman EVERYDAY in practice, thought it was a good idea to start him over Tyrod last year. Not to mention, keep him as starter in 2018. Speaking of under qualified. Thanks for the reminder
The same McDermott that managed to break the longest playoff drought in American sports in his rookie season with a terrible roster. LOL another brilliant observation from tsolid. Should we can him for only winning 6 games this year?
They should can him for going backwards. You are correct
If you were in charge there would be 20 coaching changes a year lol. If you seriously think McDermott should be fired delete your account.
Tsolid your not very good at this posting thing are you
If he wasn’t qualified then the guy who hired him is responsible
Exactly. So he’s the bad guy for accepting a position? He was offered a head coach position and he took it. He didn’t hire himself. Fired after one year seems hasty but who knows what all happens behind the scenes.
Vince Lombardi couldn’t have coached that team to more than an additional 2 wins. Wilkes was set up for failure, not sure why the front office had such high aspirations with that team.
.500 team that has coach and QB retire. Outgoing coach says to promote from within, ownership brings in hot name. Old staff leaves, he brings in new system, players start to get frustrated and demand trades. Team fails, hot name gets fired. WHAT WAS LEARNED?? It wasn’t badly broken, why screw with it a year ago? Where would we be now if ownership had listened to Arians?
100% should be canning the GM. Awful roster and not having anyone besides Bradford to mentor Rosen is criminal.
When all your draft picks fit a 3-4 and you install a 4-3 and don’t play some of your best players there is a problem. Plus having Steve “ Make it a double” Keim your GM you are toast. Wilks had no energy and no personality and his team played like it. He was going to be a bust and should of never been hired. Keim should be out the door also.
Yep bye bye