GLENDALE – Across social media timelines and message boards, frustration among Arizona Cardinals fans has escalated beyond typical offseason skepticism. The anger has been centered around the front office, and mainly General Manager Monti Ossenfort.

Sep 29, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Cardinals general manager Ossenfort looks on prior to the game against the Washington Commanders at State Farm Stadium. Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

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For years, the franchise has been built around Kyler Murray, a dynamic playmaker who can shift a game in a single drive. But with Murray’s exit on the horizon, fans expected the organization to pivot decisively. Instead, the Cardinals’ quarterback room now features Jacoby Brissett projected as the starter with the recent addition of Gardner Minshew. To many fans, that combination doesn’t signal competition; it signals surrender.

Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill and general manager Ossenfort speak to the press from the Arizona Cardinals training center in Tempe after the decision to fire head coach Jonathan Gannon on Jan. 5, 2026. © Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cardinals fans call out GM Monti Ossenfort:

What intensifies the backlash is the missed opportunities. When quarterback-needy teams explored young options like Malik Willis, Cardinals fans believed Arizona should have been aggressive. Instead, the franchise chose to go a safe route. It was another signal, in the eyes of critics, that winning immediately isn’t the priority. That perception fuels the online chorus demanding Ossenfort’s job. Some fans have signaled that he hasn’t hit on first-round draft picks, has been lacking with free agent signings, and has yet to put a playoff product on the field since his hiring in 2023.

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona general manager Ossenfort speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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From a strategic standpoint, tanking, intentional or not, can reset a roster. High draft capital accelerates rebuilding cycles, especially at quarterback and along the defensive front. But the psychological cost is real. Fans invest emotionally in belief, not probability models. Right now, belief is in short supply in the desert.

Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, and exclusive content. SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*Reporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @BenBliklen