Nick Rallis to call Cardinals’ defensive plays

Although the Cardinals hired a defense-oriented head coach, Jonathan Gannon will cede play-calling responsibilities to his young lieutenant. Nick Rallis will be Arizona’s defensive signal-caller, Gannon said Wednesday.

Rallis, 29, is the league’s youngest active coordinator. Rather than rising a level to a non-play-calling post under Gannon, the ex-Eagles linebackers coach will be set for a significant responsibility bump. This certainly shows Gannon’s confidence in the rising assistant, and this decision differs from the other former Eagles coordinator's.

Shane Steichen will call the Colts’ offensive plays, but Gannon will step into a CEO role in his first Cardinals season. Gannon spent the past two years calling defensive plays in Philadelphia, helping the Eagles to top-10 rankings in total defense and points allowed. Gannon did not close the show well, seeing his defense allow 24 second-half points in the Eagles’ 38-35 Super Bowl LVII loss to the Chiefs, and he will try his hand at overseeing on game days.

The Broncos also showed interest in Rallis for their DC gig, but the former Vikings assistant was on the quality control level as recently as the 2020 season. Rallis worked as a quality control assistant on Mike Zimmer‘s staff from 2018-20, before Gannon — also an ex-Zimmer assistant — brought him to Philly in 2021.

Gannon’s decision will make the Cardinals even more interesting to observe next season. The NFC West team will have a first-time play-caller on the offensive side of the ball as well. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who also coached with Gannon in Minnesota, served as the Browns’ tight ends coach from 2020-21 before being moved to quarterbacks coach last year. While Petzing had interviewed for a coordinator job previously, this is believed to be Rallis’ lone meeting for a DC post.