The Arizona Cardinals have made a few mistakes in recent years, though in ESPN’s rankings of the worst decisions for each franchise since 2020, one obvious error sticks out: Contract extensions for previous head coach Kliff Kingsbury and general manager Steve Keim.
Each team’s worst decision was ranked from 1-32, and Arizona’s mishap ranked No. 15 in the NFL:
“Between the two, Keim’s new deal seemed more curious than that of his head coach. Though the Cardinals were coming off an 11-6 season and a playoff berth, Keim’s recent track record in the draft had already looked abysmal. He had whiffed on his first-rounders in 2016 (Robert Nkemdiche), 2017 (Haason Reddick), 2018 (Josh Rosen) and 2020 (Isaiah Simmons). Reddick had spent years playing out of position before excelling in his final season as an edge rusher, but the team lost him in free agency. His only first-round pick who became a success was Kyler Murray, who was drafted in 2019 to replace Rosen after one season. Kingsbury, likewise, was hired to replace Steve Wilks, who was a one-and-done coach in 2018,” wrote Bill Barnwell.
“The Cardinals went 4-13 in 2022. One year after ownership thought the coach and general manager deserved extensions into 2027, one bad season was enough to lead to a total overhaul. The Cardinals fired Kingsbury, while Keim left the team to focus on his health. They gave lengthy extensions to a coach with one winning season and a general manager who already had a questionable track record of recent drafts even before a disaster season, then paid tens of millions of dollars for their deals.”
It’s pretty tough to disagree with Barnwell’s pick and rationale, though the Cardinals did do well in not waiting too long to cut ties with both, bringing on new coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort to help turn the tide of the organization.
So far so good, though the Kingsbury/Keim era won’t be looked at too kindly even as years start to fill the calendar.
This article first appeared on Arizona Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.
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NFL
49ers’ Long-Term Plan For Brock Purdy Has Been Decided
Almost nothing has gone the 49ers’ way this season but the team reportedly isn’t letting that get in the way of future negotiations with quarterback Brock Purdy. According to NFL insider Dianna Russini, San Francisco still views Purdy as its franchise QB and the Niners plan on hammering out a long-term contract extension with the former seventh-round pick this offseason.
Per The Athletic: The dark cloud hanging over the San Francisco 49ers just won’t seem to lift. It’s been a difficult season, one that’s felt ‘off’ since the summer, but the team is sticking to its plan. They’re firmly committed to Brock Purdy as their long-term quarterback; as I’ve been told the 49ers are still planning to negotiate a multi-year contract extension with Purdy this offseason, backing up the message they’ve consistently sent: ‘
Purdy is our quarterback.’ Now, the big question is: How much will they pay him? Extending Purdy is definitely doable, but it will require some savvy salary cap moves and maybe a few roster adjustments in 2025. And what about Kyle Shanahan? Despite this being the Niners’ worst season since 2020, Shanahan, in his eighth season with San Francisco, isn’t going anywhere.
The mutual commitment between coach and franchise remains. Ignore all the rumors; the organization fully believes in his ability to lead the team forward, even after a rough year. After a year-and-a-half of impressive play as the team’s full-time starter, Purdy’s numbers have taken a bit of a step back — along with the 49ers’ offense as a whole.
The Niners are dangerously close to missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020 after three consecutive NFC Championship appearances and an overtime loss in Super Bowl LVIII. Expectations were high this season with so many of San Francisco’s stars returning. However, a loud offseason paired with injuries to key players like Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk helped add to the team’s Super Bowl hangover.
Trent Williams, Georgia Kittle, Nick Bosa, Dre Greenlaw and Charvarius Ward have all missed multiple games this year. And even backups like Jordan Mason have been placed on IR. Russini’s reporting lines up with others like Mike Silver, and current projections are that the 49ers could offer Purdy something in the range of four years, $240 million — which would match the deal Dak Prescott signed back in early September. Would you be comfortable paying Purdy that next season? Or do you still need to see more?
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NHL
The NHL makes an official decision regarding Vancouver Canucks’ Elias Pettersson and…
The NHL Network unveiled its annual top-20 rankings of NHL centermen at the beginning of the season , with two Vancouver Canucks players landing prominently on the list. Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller ranked 10th and 11th, respectively, solidifying their reputations as elite forwards in the league. However, as much as fans appreciate their on-ice production, there’s an underlying tensio
n that even these accolades can’t smooth over. Pettersson, 25, takes the 10th spot for the second consecutive year. The Swedish phenom has been a cornerstone of the Canucks offense since his rookie year and is fresh off signing an eight-year, $92.8 million extension. Known for his smooth skating, lethal shot and elite two-way play, Pettersson racked up 89 points last season, though his previous campaign-where he hit 102 points-remains the high-water mark of his you
ng career. Miller, 31, slots in just behind Pettersson at 11th, making his debut on the list after a career year. The gritty American forward smashed through the century mark with 103 points, finally reaching a level Canucks fans had long hoped for. His seven-year, $56 million contract may have seemed risky at the time of signing, but Miller proved his worth last season with his dynamic offensive game and strong leadership on the ice.
However, leadership off the ice is another story. Rumors of a frosty relationship between Pettersson and Miller have swirled for years, and the two players’ fiery competitiveness doesn’t exactly make for a harmonious locker room. While both are undeniably skilled, their contrasting styles and personalities seem to clash. Miller’s vocal, in-your-face attitude has reportedly rubbed the quieter, more calculated Pettersson the wrong way-and vice versa.
It’s no wonder that some fans speculate the Canucks’ inconsistency stems, in part, from a lack of chemistry between their two best players. Regardless of personal dynamics, their rankings reflect their importance to the team. Do these placements still feel right to you, Canucks fans?
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Dwyane Wade reveals why he and Gabrielle Union don’t spend much on each other at…
Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union don’t spend much on each other at Christmas. The 42-year-old former NBA player has been married to “Bring It On” star Gabrielle, 52, since 2014 and has learned in that time that the best sort of present is “not about the price tag” or going to extremes. He told E! News: “Gab and I have learned it’s not about the price tag or going over the top with gifts. It’s about making it meaningful, something that speaks to who we are as a couple. “We try to focus on experiences. It’s about creating memories, not just unwrapping a box.
At the end of the day, it’s the thought and love behind the gift that counts. That’s how we keep it special every year.” Dwyane — who has Kaavia, six, with Gabrielle and Xavier, 11, from his relationship with Aja Metoyer as well as Zaya, 17, and Zair, 22, with ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches — just likes to embrace this time of year, especially following his retirement in 2019. He said:
“There’s just something special about having everyone together under one roof, especially after a long, crazy year. I spend so much time traveling during the year even after retiring, so when the holidays roll around, it’s like a timeout from everything.
” But, other than Christmas, Dwyane — who was awarded full custody of his nephew Dahveon, 21, in 2011 — noted that he and his family love the November holiday of Thanksgiving and he “looks forward” to seeing all of his loved ones in the same room. “Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and each year we host at my house. I look forward to seeing all of my close family and friends in one room and the amazing conversations we have each year,” he said.
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College Football
Johntay Cook fuels Colorado transfer portal rumors with 2-word message to Kaidon…
As Johntay Cook is still taking visits from teams after entering the transfer portal, his chances of joining Colorado football may have increased. The Buffaloes landed a commitment from Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter recently, as he becomes a leading contender to replace Shedeur Sanders.
Cooks posted the picture of Salter’s commitment and responded by saying, “Ok, ok.” Cook said that getting Salter would be huge in Colorado’s recruitment for him, according to recruiting director Adam Gorney. It will be interesting to see what the next steps will be for Cook and if Colorado will now be on the top of his list since they’ve gotten Salter.
Where will Johntay Cook land? Johntay Cook announced in November that he was going to enter the NCAA transfer portal after playing in a reserve role for the Texas Longhorns. He only played in six games and had eight catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns.
Cook is known for his speed and route-running, which made him one of the top recruits in the nation. He was labeled as a five-star recruit coming out of high school, and he’s ranked as the 13th wide receiver in the transfer portal. Cook is set to visit the University of Florida this upcoming weekend. They initially had an offer for him during Dan Mullen’s tenure with the Gators, so it will be interesting to see how things go this time around.
Billy Napier and the Gators staff will be looking to add the speedy receiver to the team, and he makes sense for what they want to do on offense, which is all about speed. The Gators are trying to reset their offense for next season, and they’ve been looking for talent that could help complement what they’re trying to accomplish. Getting a commitment from Cook would be huge for them.
