Arizona Cardinals’ head coach Jonathan Gannon has seen a lot of football. Although he’s only 42 years old — relatively young by coaching standards — he’s been coaching in the NFL for almost two decades. Not only that, but he’s coached with seven different organizations during that time.
READ MORE: 3 key matchups to determine Buccaneers-Cardinals in Week 13
As a result, it’s safe to say that Jonathan Gannon has been exposed to, learned from and coached against a wide variety of different coaching styles and philosophies.
Big praise for Todd Bowles
Oct 5, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles on the sidelines during the first half of a game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Leading up to the Cardinals’ matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 13, Gannon was asked to offer his opinion about Bucs’ coach, Todd Bowles.
Gannon’s response spoke volumes about the respect he has for the Bucs’ defensive minded head coach.
“Ever since I’ve been in the league, you know. He’s cool because…I would use the term, curious. He studies. He really does. Because he’s adapted, every stop that he’s been at. You’ll see, mid-year, he’ll change things.”
“He’s one of the best out there in my opinion.”
Arizona Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon has a lot of respect for Buccaneers HC and former Cards DC Todd Bowles. pic.twitter.com/yU8vnlE7sO
— PHNX Cardinals (@PHNX_Cardinals) November 26, 2025
Not only does Gannon respect Bowles’ ability to adapt throughout the year, but he also appreciates his deep knowledge of NFL offenses.
“Has his staples, but he’s very creative. He understands the run game really well, how to attack it. He understands protections really well, how to attack them. He puts his players in good spots. He’s one of the best out there, in my opinion.”
Defensive struggles of late
Nov 23, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles walks off the field during halftime against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Jonathan Gannon’s respect for Bowles has been built over years of NFL experience coaching against him. But the reality is, Bowles hasn’t been very good lately. Over the past three games, Bowles’ defense has surrendered an outlandish 106 points. That’s 35 points per game, for anyone unwilling to do the math.
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If the Bucs are going to rediscover their winning ways from earlier in the season, then they need to find ways to prevent opposing offenses from lighting up the scoreboard. Regardless of who is available in the lineup, that responsibility falls squarely on the shoulders of Bowles, a respected defensive mind.
It’s time for the Buccaneers’ head coach to live up to his reputation.
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