Cowboys OC Klayton Adams Possible Fit as Head Coach in NFC West

If you wanted to know how bad things have been going for Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon this season, simply look at what happened after a 22-21, Week 5 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

After that loss, the Cardinals fined Gannon $100,000 after the former Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator made physical contact with running back Emari Demercado in a fiery sideline incident.

The viral video showed Gannon on Arizona’s sideline yelling at Demercado after he let go of the ball right before crossing the goal line on what should have been a 72-yard touchdown run, leading to a touchback for the Titans.

The touchdown would have given the Cardinals a 28-6 lead over the Titans with 12:40 left in the fourth quarter. The loss dropped the Cardinals to 2-3 and seemed to open the door to rife speculation about Gannon’s future.

The Cardinals, who haven’t had a winning record since 2021, are 16-25 since Gannon took over as head coach in 2023.

“Gannon becomes the first NFL head coach to be fined for an altercation with a player since the league fined then-Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians $50,000 for swiping his hand at safety Andrew Adams’ helmet during a January 2022 wild-card game against the Philadelphia Eagles,” ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss wrote on October 7.

For the Cardinals, a familiar face already doing big things in the NFC as an offensive coordinator might be the answer if Gannon eventually isn’t.

Offense Has Been Highlight for Cowboys in 2025

There were few expectations on the Dallas Cowboys headed into 2025 other than that most of the experts believed Dallas had little chance to be anything but terrible — especially after they traded away their best player in edge rusher Micah Parsons just one week before their regular season opener.

The Cowboys have scrapped their way to a 2-2-1 record headed into a Week 6 road game against the Carolina Panthers, and the reason they’ve been able to do that is thanks in large part to a resurgent offense led by quarterback Dak Prescott.

They’ve also been able to do it with a first year offensive coordinator in 42-year-old Klayton Adams, who was hired by first year Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer after spending the last 2 seasons as the offensive line coach for the Cardinals.

If Adams continues to help the Cowboys put up big points and breathe life back into the careers of players like Prescott, running back Javonte Williams, tight end Jake Ferguson and wide receiver George Pickens, he might eventually be looked at as the right guy to replace Gannon.

Through 5 games, the Cowboys lead the NFL in total offense.

Cowboys Picked Adams Out of Talented Group

“(Adams) beats out other candidates such as current Cleveland Browns’ offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, current Atlanta Falcons’ tight ends coach Kevin Koger and Detroit Lions’ running backs coach Scottie Montgomery, who all spoke with Dallas’ front office over the past few days,” Cowboys.com’s Patrik Walker wrote on January 31.

Adams, an All-WAC offensive lineman at Boise State in the early 2000s, is 42 years old and spent the first 15 years of his coaching career on the college level before making the move to the NFL as assistant offensive line coach for the Indianapolis Colts in 2019.

49ers Express Interest in Steelers’ Alex Highsmith as Trade Deadline Approaches

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a good problem to have at outside linebacker. With Alex Highsmith likely making his return to the lineup in Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns, the team must decide what to do with Nick Herbig and Jack Sawyer. Both of who have played well in Highsmith's absence.

There might be a different solution, though.

49ers Want An Edge Rusher

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch opened up recently about the team's willingness to improve their roster before the trade deadline. Edge rusher has been the most talked-about position of need, and Lynch didn't shut down the idea when asked about it.

"I'm having a lot of conversations, a lot of good and productive ones,” Lynch said. "... If we find a way to make our football team better and it aligns, then we will not be shy on pulling the trigger."

The 49ers' only current options alongside superstar Nick Bosa are first-round pick Mykell Williams and Bryce Huff. They've been rumored as landing spots for teams at the bottom of the league like Miami Dolphins with Bradley Chubb or New York Giants' Kayvon Thibodeaux. However, Pittsburgh may be a sneaky team to watch.

Steelers Have an Option

Highsmith is easily one of the best edge rushers in the NFL. He's overlooked many times because of what T.J. Watt has accomplished throughout his career, but for the former third-round pick has become one of the most dominant pieces of the defense, and is only 28 years old.

If Highsmith didn't suffer an ankle injury, forcing him to miss time early in the season, this conversation wouldn't be had. The Steelers wouldn't even be considering a trade for their star edge rusher, and would be viewing him and Watt as their starters with Herbig as their backup.

But Herbig took off with his opportunity. The 23-year-old has 2.5 sacks and four tackles for loss, plus a forced fumble.

49ers, Steelers Trade?

The Steelers could probably ask for a pretty penny by offering a player with higher value than any of the rumored teams. Highsmith is an established star in this league and could be the missing piece for the 49ers alongside Bosa.

With 36.5 career sacks and nine forced fumbles, he brings experience, proven worth and an affordable contract with him anywhere he goes. Meaning he could be the perfect fit for San Francisco.

Highsmith will only be paid $20 million next season and $21 million the season after that.

Maybe the 49ers are looking for lesser options, but if they want a star, and the Steelers are willing to part ways and hand Herbig the keys next to Watt, the two teams may have a trade on their hands before the deadline.

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