Todd Haley isn't likely to join the Arizona Cardinals as their head coach, unless they decide to pay up. According to NFL.com, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Haley set his asking price "very high" during his interview with Cardinals owner Mike Bidwill.
Cardinals coaching rumors: Todd Haley set ‘very high’ price for Arizona
Todd Haley has set a “very high” price for the Arizona Cardinals if they want to bring him in as their new head coach.
Haley interviewed late last week and also reportedly made “steep demands” during the interview. According to the original report, Haley wouldn’t make a leave for Arizona unless prompted with a deal that is “almost too good to pass up.”
It seems as though Haley is happy as the offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers, despite some struggles this past season. The Steelers finished 14th in passing yardage and 26th in rushing yardage, and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2009 with an 8-8 record.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger also had a down season from a pure production standpoint, throwing for just 3,265 yards. Still, he had 26 touchdowns against eight interceptions and there's still a lot to work with there.
If Haley were to be in charge of the Cardinals, he’s have a lot less to work with and a very frustrated fan base and ownership group to deal with. Whereas Roethlisberger is a nine-year pro and may not have many top-flight seasons left, the Cardinals have nothing even resembling an answer at quarterback.
Kevin Kolb, John Skelton, Ryan Lindley and Brian Hoyer all threw significant passes this past season. Kolb was playing decently, with eight touchdowns against three interceptions and an 86.1 rating, but when he went down, everything else did as well. Skelton, Lindley and Hoyer threw three touchdowns combined, against 18 interceptions combined.
The Cardinals finished the season with a 5-11 record, far behind both the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers, two young teams on the upswing. It's unquestionable that Haley's current situation is a better one, as he's likely to continue to get head coaching opportunities in future seasons.
For now, the Cardinals are not an attractive destination and although that’s not the official reason given, it’s likely a factor.
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