Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon ends news conference with wild Michael Vick callback

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has proven to be an, ahem, interesting quote three years into his tenure, but he provided his most surreal moment on Wednesday.

Speaking with reporters at his usual media availability, the coach received a fairly innocuous question about taking emotions out of personnel decisions. His response was immediate and fully deadpan, and you should see it for yourself. 

The full exchange:

QUESTION: "Coach, how early in your career did you have to start trying to figure out how to take the emotion out of coaching as far as when you have all these injuries and you have all these different pieces, when's the first time that you can recall that?"

ANSWER: "2007, when our quarterback went to jail."

Gannon is, of course, referring to the Michael Vick dogfighting incident. The 42-year-old was a defensive quality control coach on the staff of the Atlanta Falcons for a single season in 2007, his first year in professional coaching after spending time under Bobby Petrino at Louisville.

Gannon followed Petrino from Louisville to the Falcons, but all plans for that 2007 season imploded when Vick was arrested in July for his involvement in Bad Newz Kennels. Without their star quarterback, the Falcons went 4-12 that season, with Petrino resigning at mid-season and most of his coaching staff, Petrino included, having to move on the next offseason.

Clearly, the experience made an impression on Gannon, who went on to work for five other teams before landing the Cardinals job.

Brooke Sutton via Getty Images

This is also somehow only the second time the shadow of the Vick scandal has loomed over the 2025 Arizona Cardinals. Gannon's quarterback Kyler Murray apologized last month after catching heat for posting a picture of himself with his pit bull, the breed of most of the Bad Newz dogs, while wearing a Vick jersey.

Meanwhile, Vick himself is still going through his first year as head coach of the Norfolk State football program. The Spartans are currently 1-6.