The NFL has fined Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon $100,000 following a heated confrontation with running back Emari Demercado during Sunday’s 22-21 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
According to multiple reports, the altercation occurred after Demercado dropped the ball near the end zone on what could have been a pivotal touchdown play. Frustrated by the costly mistake, Gannon was seen yelling directly into Demercado’s ear before slapping the player’s chest and walking away angrily.
The league ruled the outburst as “unacceptable conduct toward a player,” resulting in one of the largest fines handed to a head coach this season.
On Monday, Gannon publicly apologized for the incident, acknowledging that he let his emotions take control.
“I kind of let the moment of what happened get the better of me,” Gannon said. “Obviously, I try to be emotionally stable and calm because my job is to solve problems during a game and lead the charge. That’s not really who I am or who I want to be.”
Gannon continued by taking full responsibility, admitting that his actions set the wrong example for the team:
“It’s a mistake by me, and it’s just like everybody in there—everybody made some type of mistake yesterday. That’s why we didn’t win the game, and we can’t let it happen moving forward.”
This marks Gannon’s third season as head coach of the Cardinals, following his tenure as the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive coordinator. He joined Arizona just days after the Eagles’ Super Bowl LVII loss.
While Gannon has been praised for his fiery competitiveness, the incident has drawn criticism from both fans and league officials—raising fresh questions about how far emotional leadership should go on the NFL sidelines.
