clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

2-9-12: Arizona Cardinals Bird Droppings - Coaching Staff Complete

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Time for todays links, where we now have the coaching staff complete with McNulty moving over to coach the Quarterbacks, and Frank Reich who was formerly with the Colts is now the Receivers coach. Cue more Peyton Manning speculation.

Arizona Cardinals News:

Cards Hire Reich, McNulty Moves Over
Former Colts assistant to coach receivers as incumbent takes quarterbacks

Arizona Cardinals hire Frank Reich to coach wide receivers
Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt finalized the structure of his coaching staff this week, moving receivers coach John McNulty to quarterbacks and hiring former NFL quarterback Frank Reich to coach receivers. Reich, 50, was a member of the Colts coaching staff from 2008 through last season and spent part of the time coaching receivers. He played in the NFL from 1985 through 2008, spending most of that time with the Bills.

Word From the Birds Blog - McNulty move meant to be proactive
John McNulty was talking with Larry Fitzgerald after interviewing for the Cards’ open spot of quarterbacks coach. Fitz liked working with his receivers coach enough that he flew McNulty to the Pro Bowl this season as a guest, and he wondered (worried?) aloud to McNulty about who would end up coaching Fitzgerald if McNulty moved to work with QBs. But McNulty had a simple thought: He thought he could help the quarterback spot, and that, in turn, could help the whole offense.

John McNulty has a plan for Arizona Cardinals QBs
John McNulty didn't have to say he was unhappy when the Cardinals denied the Bucs permission to interview him for their offensive coordinator's job a couple weeks ago. Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said it for him. McNulty wasn't happy because NFL coordinator's jobs don't open often. Who knows if McNulty will get another shot at one? It's not often a good friend, in this case Greg Schiano, gets a head coaching job. But McNulty also understands that the NFL is a business, at every level. He's under contract with the Cardinals, so he's going to make the best of his situation. The bright side of his current job as QBs coach is that his career will receive a huge boost if he can improve the production at the position.

Reich looking forward to new opportunity in the desert - ArizonaSports.com
The Arizona Cardinals hired Frank Reich as their new wide receivers coach Wednesday. Reich had spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach with the Indianapolis Colts, where a certain future Hall of Fame quarterback who's been linked to the Cardinals has spent his entire career. Great opportunity to pump a guy for information, right?

Hmmm: Cardinals hire Manning's ex-coach - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Connecting the dots became much easier Wednesday when the Arizona Cardinals announced Frank Reich's hiring to coach their wide receivers.

2012 NFC West draft primer, Take One - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Welcome to the 2012 NFL season. The games are not yet here, of course, but most teams have long since shifted their mindsets forward. Tuesday brought a first look at free agency for NFC West teams. Now comes a first look at the draft, to be revisited as teams add and subtract players in free agency.

Word From the Birds Blog - ’04 has been an impressive class
In the aftermath of the Giants’ Super Bowl win, much has been made already of the legacy of quarterback Eli Manning, whether he is a Hall of Famer already (I say no right now, although he’s certainly putting together that kind of résumé) and where he fits among the pecking order of today’s QBs. That’s all well and good, but from my perspective, any time I think of Manning I think of what would have happened had McCown-to-Poole not shocked the Vikings. Is Manning a Cardinal? It’s a moot point, of course, but that line of thinking took me to yet another place this morning: The impact of that 2004 draft class. Most of the time, the top half of the first round provides as many busts as success stories. It sure seems, eight seasons in, that the 2004 first round was better than most, at least in those top 16 picks.

Arizona Sports News:

ASU coach Graham gets high marks for recruiting, UA's Rodriguez not so much - ArizonaSports.com
It's been about a week since schools around the country signed their 2012 recruiting classes, and rankings have been pouring in. And, while nobody can be sure of how good any of these players will be at the collegiate level, it's still fun to speculate -- especially if you're an ASU fan.

NFL News:

Ricky Williams Retires, Leaving Behind Enigmatic Legacy - SBNation.com
Ricky Williams retired after 11 NFL seasons, five more than he ever intended to play. Still, we'll remember him as a person and enigma more than as a football player.

Peyton Manning's Arm 'Is A Noodle,' Super Bowl Leak Was 'Calculated,' Says Indy Columnist - SBNation.com
Indy Star columnist Bob Kravitz opened up about the whole Peyton Manning saga on Tony Kornheiser's radio showon Wednesday, picking apart the "medically cleared" news and where Manning stands in his recovery. Kravitz took exception to the Super Bowl hubbub surrounding Manning, and seems to have turned on the Indianapolis quarterback.

Tom Brady Aggravated Shoulder Injury During Super Bowl - SBNation.com
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady aggravated a shoulder injury when he was sacked by Justin Tuck in Super Bowl XLVI.

Bryant McFadden, Arnaz Battle Released By Pittsburgh Steelers - SBNation.com
The Steelers started some early roster cuts by releasing veteran CB Bryant McFadden and WR Arnaz Battle.

Jacobs to Gisele: "Stay cute and shut up" | ProFootballTalk
It’s fitting, we suppose, that the only response to the post-game comments from Tom Brady’s wife ripping his teammates for dropping passes would come not from said teammates but from a guy who benefited from the blunders.

Johnny Knox faces long road to recovery from back injury | ProFootballTalk
Bears receiver Johnny Knox cracked a facet joint in his spinal column when he was bent backward awkwardly during a December game against the Seahawks, and when initial reports said he would need 3-4 months to recover, that sounded like good news compared to how ugly the injury looked. But now comes word that the 3-4 months estimate may have been overly optimistic.

Rodney Harrison calls out Gronkowski for post-Super Bowl partying | ProFootballTalk
After Sunday night’s loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI, several members of the team attended a post-game party. Thereafter, photos and videos emerged of a shirtless Rob Gronkowski dancing vigorously, despite a high ankle sprain. Former Patriots safety Rodney Harrison didn’t like it.