Cardinals request to interview Bengals coordinators Lou Anarumo, Brian Callahan for head coaching gig

This would be Anarumo’s first interview of the offseason.

A day after the Cincinnati Bengals’ season ends, defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo finally has a chance to interview for a head coaching job.

Per NFL insider Peter Schrager, the Arizona Cardinals have requested to interview Anarumo for the position.

But that’s not all. Offensive coordinator Brian Callahan has also been requested to interview for the position, per Tom Pelissero.

Anarumo is coming a second-straight successful year calling plays for the Bengals’ defense. The unit has become synonymous with game-changing turnovers, top-notch communication in the secondary, and finding ways to limit some of the best offensive players in the league.

That it took all of January for a single team to express interest in Anarumo is stunning.

The Cardinals are one of four teams remaining without a head coach. The club fired Kliff Kingsbury earlier this month, and appeared to be in the running for former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, who interviewed on Thursday. Per Ian Rapoport, the Cardinals were “resetting” after Payton’s interview and Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn opted to return to Dallas after a second interview with them.

Whether or not Anarumo leaves Cincinnati for Glendale, AZ, he deserves the opportunity to lead a team after turning around the Bengals’ defense for the better.

Callahan, who was hired by head coach Zac Taylor in 2019 along with Anarumo, has already interviewed for the Indianapolis Colts head coach vacancy this month, and that position hasn’t been filled yet. While he isn’t the official play-caller for the offense, he has an integral role in the process and constructing the entire unit. His father, Bill Callahan, was also a head coach and remains one of the best assistants in the NFL.

The Bengals have kept the same group of top assistants around Zac Taylor during his entire four-year tenure.