Cardinals reportedly request to interview Bengals DC Lou Anarumo for head-coaching job

Another name reportedly entering the head-coaching candidate pool Monday: Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.

The Arizona Cardinals requested to interview Anarumo for their vacant head coach position hours after the Bengals lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game, according to NFL Network's Peter Schrager. Anarumo joined the Bengals' staff in 2019 alongside head coach Zac Taylor after stints with the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins.

Anarumo's defenses have been solid for the past two years during Cincinnati's back-to-back AFC championship appearances. This year, the Bengals allowed the sixth-fewest points, the fourth-fewest passing touchdown and the seventh-fewest rushing yards. Anarumo is most famously known for his adaptable defensive game-plan and for stifling Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the second half of the 2022 AFC title game.

As for the Cardinals, they're one of four teams still searching for a new head coach after firing Kliff Kingsbury in early January. The Houston Texans are reportedly the frontrunners to hire San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans. That would leave the Cardinals, the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos as the only teams currently without head coaches.

Arizona also interviewed Ryans, as well as current defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and Pittsburgh Steelers senior defensive assistant Brian Flores. The big fish is, of course, former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, whom the Cardinals spoke with on Jan. 23.

The most complicated part of the Cardinals job is the health of quarterback Kyler Murray, who reportedly won't return until the middle of the 2023 season after he tore his ACL in Week 14. Arizona lost its final seven games of the season, five of which were without Murray.