The 2025 season ended on a concerning note for the Arizona Cardinals, and it seems like the team’s overall image has taken a hit. Amid discussions about the NFC West and its teams, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner expressed his satisfaction, making it clear the answer is obvious. However, the conversation sparked controversy when it turned to the Cardinals, as the linebacker drew a comparison to a viral meme on social media.

“It’s like, have you ever seen that meme with the Dragons?” Warner said during a recent appearance on the St. Brown Podcast. “It’s like the three like three hitting the three-jacket, and then you got the dragon over there with his tongue out. Googly eyes! That’s, unfortunately, the Cardinals right now.”

When Fred Warner mentioned “that meme with the dragons,” he was actually referring to a popular internet image known as the Three-Headed Dragon meme. The meme comes from a funny drawing of a fictional three-headed dragon where two of the heads look normal and strong, but the third head looks silly with a goofy expression and a tongue out, or “googly eyes.”

Social media platforms have seen several edits of the same, with people labeling each head with different ideas or teams. This generally implies joking about situations where one part is not performing or fitting in with the rest. For example, two heads might be serious while the third is clearly not “keeping up,” making the whole group look strange or less capable.

While the comparison might seem offensive to many, the Cardinals’ results this season reflected a similar image. Year 2025 saw the Cardinals finish with a 3–14 record and miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Despite a hopeful 2-0 start, they lost 14 of their final 15 games after starting 2–0. This includes a nine-game losing streak to end the year.

The team set a franchise record for losses (14) and posted a .176 winning percentage, marking their worst since 1959. Head coach Jonathan Gannon was fired after going 15–36 in three seasons. This turned out to be the most concerning record among the NFC West, with all other teams leading with a minimum of 12 wins.

While the team endured one of the most concerning seasons in the franchise’s history, it seems like they are now formulating a new winning strategy. However, the concerning record this season also appears to be haunting the first step of redemption (the head coach hunt).

Why is the Cardinals’ head coach hunt taking so long?

The Arizona Cardinals are one of only two NFL teams still without a head coach, and the delay is starting to worry fans. It has been more than three weeks since Jonathan Gannon was fired after three long seasons. The franchise ownership led by Michael Bidwill and general manager Monti Ossenfort clarified that they wanted a deep and careful search. However, as time passes, the lack of a decision is leaving the management with no further explanations to provide.

The team has interviewed more than 15 candidates, including veteran coach Ron Rivera. Many believed the job would go to Mike LaFleur after the Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator spent two full days interviewing in person. The idea gained more traction when Anthony Campanile was retained by the Jacksonville Jaguars. This turned down another top option for the team.

Another possibility, per reports, is that the Cardinals are looking to meet Klint Kubiak in person. However, the Seattle Seahawks coordinator cannot be hired until after the Super Bowl on Feb. 9. The team may be hesitant to wait again after doing so in their last hiring cycle. With only the Cardinals and the Las Vegas Raiders left to end their HC hunts, there is less pressure to rush. Even though Las Vegas offers strong appeal with major cap space and the No. 1 pick, it still remains to be seen who favors the Cardinals now.