Cardinals Interviewing Bengals DC Lou Anarumo & Giants OC Mike Kafka For Second Time

Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo will get a second interview with the Cardinals for their head-coaching job. 

Ian Rapoport adds that Giants OC Mike Kafka will also get a second interview for the Cardinals.

Here’s the updated list of candidates for the Cardinals’ job:

1. Bengals DC Lou Anarumo (Finalist)
2. Giants OC Mike Kafka (Finalist)
3. Steelers LBs coach Brian Flores (Interviewed)
4. Bengals OC Brian Callahan (Interview)
5. Broncos DC Ejiro Evero (Interviewed)
6. Lions DC Aaron Glenn (Interviewed)
7. Cardinals DC Vance Joseph (Interviewed)
8. Cowboys DC Dan Quinn (Withdrawn)
9. Former Saints HC Sean Payton (Interviewed, hired by Broncos)
10. Former Colts HC Frank Reich (Interviewed, hired by Panthers)

Anarumo, 56, began his coaching career at Wagner back in 1989 as their RB coach. He worked for a few universities before taking his first NFL coaching job with the Dolphins in 2012 as their DB coach. 

The Giants hired Anarumo as their DB coach in 2018 but he left the following season to take the defensive coordinator job with the Bengals. 

In 2022, the Bengals ranked No. 16 in total defense, including No. 7 against the run and No. 23 against the pass, and No. 6 in points allowed per game.

Kafka, 35, is a former fourth-round pick of the Eagles back in 2010. He played for a number of teams including the Patriots, Jaguars, Buccaneers, Vikings, Titans, and most recently for the Bengals back in 2015.

Kafka worked for Northwestern as an offensive graduate assistant in 2016 before agreeing to take over as the Chiefs’ offensive quality control coach in 2017. Kansas City promoted him to QB coach in 2018 before promoting him to QB coach/passing game coordinator in 2020. 

He later landed the job as the Giants offensive coordinator back in February of 2022 and helped the team to the playoffs as they ranked 15th in points per game and 18th in yards per game.

We will have more on the Cardinals’ head coaching search as the information becomes available.