Jonathan Gannon is the new head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, but is he related to former NFL quarterback Rich Gannon? The answer is no, they are not related by blood or marriage. Here is what you need to know about Jonathan Gannon’s family and career.
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Jonathan Gannon’s father is James Gannon
Jonathan Gannon was born to his beloved father, James Gannon, who was a lawyer and a judge in Philadelphia. According to geniuscelebs.com, James Gannon passed away in 2019 at the age of 77. He was survived by his wife, Mary, and their four children: Jonathan, James Jr., Matthew, and Elizabeth.
James Gannon was a graduate of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School and Villanova University. He served as an assistant district attorney in Philadelphia for 12 years before becoming a judge in the Court of Common Pleas. He was known for his integrity, compassion, and sense of humor.
Jonathan Gannon followed his father’s footsteps and attended St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, where he played football as a quarterback and a punter. He then went on to play college football at Louisville and Marist.
Jonathan Gannon’s coaching career
Jonathan Gannon began his coaching career in 2007 as a defensive quality control coach for the Atlanta Falcons. He then worked as a scout for the St. Louis Rams before returning to coaching as a defensive quality control coach for the Tennessee Titans in 2012.
He joined the Minnesota Vikings in 2014 as an assistant defensive backs and defensive quality control coach, where he worked under Mike Zimmer. He helped develop players like Harrison Smith, Xavier Rhodes, and Trae Waynes.
In 2018, he moved to the Indianapolis Colts as the defensive backs and cornerbacks coach, where he worked under Frank Reich and Matt Eberflus. He helped improve the Colts’ pass defense and coached players like Kenny Moore, Pierre Desir, and Malik Hooker.
In 2021, he was hired by Nick Sirianni as the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles. He led the Eagles’ defense to rank second in total yards allowed and fourth in points allowed in the regular season. He also helped the Eagles reach Super Bowl LVII, where they lost to the Los Angeles Rams.
After the Super Bowl, he was interviewed by several teams for their head coaching vacancies, including the Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins, and Minnesota Vikings. He ultimately chose to join the Arizona Cardinals as their new head coach, replacing Kliff Kingsbury.
Rich Gannon’s career
Rich Gannon is a former NFL quarterback who played 18 seasons in the league for four teams: the Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs, and Oakland Raiders. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 1987 NFL Draft but was traded to the Vikings before his rookie season.
He spent six seasons with the Vikings as a backup and a starter before signing with the Redskins in 1993. He then joined the Chiefs in 1995 and became their starter in 1997. He had his best years with the Raiders from 1999 to 2004, where he made four Pro Bowls and won the NFL MVP award in 2002. He also led the Raiders to Super Bowl XXXVII, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He retired after the 2004 season due to injuries and became a sports analyst for CBS Sports from 2005 to 2020. He now does occasional work for CBS as well as SiriusXM NFL Radio.
Rich Gannon was born in Philadelphia and attended St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, like Jonathan Gannon’s father. He then played college football at Delaware, where he set several school records.
Conclusion
Jonathan Gannon and Rich Gannon are not related by blood or marriage. They share a common surname and a connection to football, but they have different family backgrounds and career paths. Jonathan Gannon is the new head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, while Rich Gannon is a former NFL quarterback and a current sports analyst.
