Four Arizona Cardinals players—Zaven Collins, Denzel Burke, Budda Baker, and Trey McBride—gathered at TPC Scottsdale for the Waste Management Media Appreciation Golf Day amid cloudy and rainy weather. The somber mood reflected the recent dismissal of head coach Jonathan Gannon.
“I was pretty surprised,” Collins said regarding the coaching change. “Everyone loves JG from top to bottom, but those conversations that are had, we have no idea of, and it’s always a surprise when something like that happens, especially because so many guys love him. He definitely did good things for this organization. We as players, we’ve just got to get it done on the field.”
Gannon addressed the team about his departure on Monday morning. “All the different emotions were in that room,” McBride said.
Players acknowledged their responsibility to guide the team through this period of transition. “Being a leader is a year-round thing,” McBride said. “I think it’s one of those things where this is a time of uncertainty and to make sure the whole team is ready to go when the new head coach is here.”
The next head coach will inherit a roster with talent at key positions. McBride completed a standout season as tight end, while Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson formed an emerging wide receiver duo. Budda Baker earned another Pro Bowl selection, and Josh Sweat recorded 12 sacks.
Sweat commented on his teammates’ effort after their game against the Rams: “It ain’t a good feeling, especially when I see how hard these (teammates) work,” he said. “I always got something to fight for whether it’s win, lose, or draw, because I’m just trying to (expletive) make whatever happen and however I can help.”
On Monday, players began cleaning out their lockers as they prepared for offseason changes following Gannon’s exit. Rookie linebacker Cody Simon reflected on his first season: “Once you’ve got to clean out everything, you wish you could have been playing for another couple of weeks, but it’s reality,” Simon said. “It’s a business and we’ve got to be professional about it and evaluate what went wrong and what you did and then take a deep breath and get back to what you do in the offseason. I’ve got to figure that out because I never had an offseason.”
With a new head coach expected soon, veterans such as Collins emphasized helping younger players navigate upcoming changes.
“Guys were excited about what’s to come, but at the same time, love JG and loved everything he was about,” McBride said. “But I’m optimistic about what’s going to happen next and who they’re going to hire and obviously excited for a big year in 2026.”
Until then, players intend to support each other during this period of transition.
“Just enjoy our time, have fun, and lay back and hit some golf balls,” Collins said. “Not always straight, but they were hit.”
The Arizona Cardinals are recognized as one of the oldest continuously operating professional football franchises in the United States since their founding in 1898 official website. The team represents Phoenix and plays its home games in Glendale as part of the NFC West division official website.
