Bruce Arians‘ New Year’s Day retirement has the Cardinals searching for a new head coach for the first time in five years, and the franchise has been busy in its opening stages of filling Arians’ post.
The Cardinals have requested permission to interview Eagles DC Jim Schwartz and Patriots DC Matt Patricia, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This comes on the heels of reports the Cards are in the process of setting up a summit with Eagles QBs coach John DeFilippo and have requested a meeting with Vikings OC Pat Shurmur.
Schwartz has been linked to the Giants and has an interview already scheduled with New York. The Giants and Lions have requested permission to meet with Patricia.
The 43-year-old Patricia’s only coached in New England, being on Bill Belichick‘s staff since 2004. He’s served as the Patriots’ DC since 2012. Belichick’s towering presence and his assistants’ less-than-stellar collective work in head-coaching opportunities have helped keep Patricia in New England, but this could be the year a team takes a chance on the defensive leader.
Schwartz almost certainly figures to land a second head-coaching job, with his Eagles defense finishing fourth this season during a campaign that’s seen Philadelphia book the NFC’s No. 1 seed for the first time in 13 years. A bidding war could be on the way for his services.
He is a great D.C. but sucked as a HC not so sure that he will be getting a HC job