Tampering settlement catches Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon in a lie

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon. Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tampering settlement with Eagles catches Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon in a lie

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 4/27/23

According to a joint settlement released by the NFL on Thursday, the Arizona Cardinals self-reported violating the league's Anti-Tampering Policy surrounding the hiring of Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. However, the Cardinals' revelation may have also caught their new head coach lying.

After joining the Cardinals, Gannon said he wasn't aware of Arizona's interest until after the Super Bowl. However, before the Eagles' loss to the Chiefs, Gannon told Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he'd informed his agent not to contact him about head coaching opportunities until after the season.

I asked Gannon days prior about the Cardinals rumor, and he said he told his agent after the interview window closed a few weeks earlier not to talk to him about HC opportunities until after the Super Bowl.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) April 28, 2023

The Cardinals admitted during the tampering investigation that Monti Ossenfort had a phone conversation with Gannon days after the NFC Championship Game, breaking the league's Anti-Tampering Policy.

The Cardinals' sneaky ways will ultimately cost them 28 spots in the third round of this week's NFL Draft. To end the matter, the Eagles and Cardinals agreed to a trade. Philadelphia acquires pick No. 66, moving up 28 spots in the third round. Meanwhile, Arizona receives the 94th pick in the third round and a 2024 fifth-round choice from the Eagles.

Eagles and Cardinals settled a tampering investigation today involving the hiring of former Philadelphia DC Jonathan Gannon as Arizona’s HC, per sources.

Terms: Eagles traded pick No. 94 in this draft and a 2024 5th-round pick to the Cardinals for pick No. 66 in this draft. pic.twitter.com/NTl49BleJE
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 27, 2023

It's hard to believe the Cardinals are the only team violating the league's policies regarding tampering. However, this time, they were the team to get caught, even if they did out themselves. Whether or not their rule-breaking ways will come back to bite them in the form of an impact player heading to the Eagles on Day 2 of the draft, we'll have to wait and see.

More must-reads: