At the time, Gannon was the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles. He was traveling to Lincoln Financial Field, where his team would eventually defeat the San Francisco 49ers 31–7. Josh Johnson and Brock Purdy, two quarterbacks, were taken out of the game by Gannon’s defense, which sealed their ticket to Super Bowl LVII.

Gannon was a divisive player during his two years with the Eagles, but following the victory on January 29, his fame in Philadelphia peaked. The previous week, his team defeated the New York Giants 38-7 in a divisional playoff game, amassing 70 sacks during the regular season—the third-highest total ever.

Gannon, who had made many interviews for head coach positions over the previous two hiring cycles, was questioned about his future during an on-field postgame interview with a local television station.

Prior to the Super Bowl, Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort made an illegal call to Gannon while looking for a head coach; this call ultimately resulted in accusations of tampering. Gannon kept it a secret from the Eagles, as did his plan to interview Arizona. A league source claims that the Eagles were greatly dissatisfied by Gannon’s lack of openness since it negatively impacted their chances of keeping Vic Fangio, their desired replacement.

In the Super Bowl, the Eagles’ defense allowed 17 points in the fourth quarter, which contributed to their 38-35 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. After Gannon was hired by the Cardinals two days later, the Eagles intensified their hunt for a new defensive coordinator from a reduced pool of candidates.

The Eagles’ defense is ranked in the bottom half or very near the bottom of various statistical categories, and Sean Desai, Gannon’s replacement, was demoted as a result of his departure, which sent shockwaves through Philadelphia.