John DeFilippo likely won’t have to worry about being repeatedly told to run the ball, if he gets the latest job for which he has interviewed.
According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, the Cardinals have interviewed DeFilippo for their vacant offensive coordinator position.
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer fired DeFilippo late in the 2018 season, after multiple public (and, prior to that, private) urgings to commit to the run. That likely won’t happen in Arizona, where new coach Kliff Kingsbury surely wasn’t hired to play ground and pound. (And where Kingsbury will be calling the plays.)
Regardless of whether it’s Kingsbury or DeFilippo or some collaboration, the Cardinals have running back David Johnson on the roster, and he’s one of the best running backs in the league. It would be foolish for any team to skew too heavily toward the pass, and perhaps DeFilippo has learned his lesson.
The broader question is whether DeFilippo can or will do what he’s told. Far more troubling than an approach to play calling that seemed to be more about showcasing his skills for a head-coaching job of his own than winning games is the fact that he apparently failed or refused to comply with direct orders from his boss, repeatedly. That’s something the Cardinals should fully explore and resolve before offering him a job.