Another name in the Cardinals’ coaching search popped up on Tuesday.
The team reportedly was interviewing Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter for the job, one of a handful of teams from which Minter is expected to garner interest. That brings to 12 the number of names that have been linked to Cardinals’ interest as GM Monti Ossenfort and owner Michael Bidwill go through the process of finding a new football boss.
UPDATE: The report came out Tuesday night that the Cardinals are reaching out to Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke for an interview. Burke was the defensive line coach under Vance Joseph in Kliff Kingsbury’s final season coaching the Cardinals, coaching J.J. Watt. Now he calls plays for the best defense in the NFL. Including John Harbaugh, Burke would be name No. 13 linked to Arizona’s search.
What added to the drama across the NFL, also on Tuesday, was the news that longtime Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was stepping down from his post after 19 seasons. That creates a ninth open NFL head coaching job this cycle. None have been filled as of yet.
There were also nine openings in 2023, the last time the Cardinals hired a new coach.
A point of reference with Tomlin: He was the Steelers’ surprise pick in 2007, beating out Russ Grimm for the job. Grimm then came to Arizona to be the offensive line coach of new head coach hire Ken Whisenhunt. Whisenhunt took the Cardinals to the Super Bowl the following season — only to lose to Tomlin and the Steelers.
