Cardinal’s assistant fired after Mexico City incident
Sean Kugler, the Cardinals’ running game coordinator and chief offensive line coach, was relieved of his duties by the team after an incident in Mexico City Sunday night, a day after the team arrived for its game against the 49ers on “Monday night football.” “
Details on exactly what happened remain vague, but Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury confirmed to The Republic on Tuesday that the 56-year-old Kugler was not involved in Arizona’s 10-38 loss to the San Francisco 49ers at the Estadio Azteca was present and was previously sent back to the Valley.
“We relieved him of his duties and he was sent home on Monday morning before the game,” Kingsbury said.
Kingsbury said the move is permanent, meaning Kugler is no longer an employee of the team. A part of Kingsbury’s original team with the Cardinals in 2019, he has received regular praise from players, coaches and front office members.
“It’s a challenge every time you make a personnel change like this and I’m just going to leave it at that,” Kingsbury told The Republic.
Kingsbury said Kugler’s duties will now be shared by assistant offensive line coach Brian Natkin and tight ends coach Steve Heiden, both of whom took over the job during Monday’s game. Offensive assistant Mike Bercovici will temporarily replace Heiden as tight ends coach.
Kingsbury said after this season the search for a new running game coordinator and offensive line coach would begin.
Kugler is the second member of the Cardinals coaching staff to be disciplined this year. In August, running backs coach James Saxon was placed on leave after it was revealed he had been accused of assaulting a woman at her Indianapolis home in May.
Saxon, also hired by the team before the start of the 2019 season, pleaded guilty to domestic battery charges on Oct. 6. Shortly thereafter, he resigned from the Cardinals.
A third coach, offensive assistant Don Shumpert, is no longer listed among the staff on the Cardinals’ website. He stepped in to coach the running backs after Saxon was placed on administrative leave.
Remarks
The Cardinals refrained from running back Jonathan Ward from injured reserve Tuesday. He is the second running back to be released by the team in a week, joining Eno Benjamin, who was cut Nov. 14.
Ward appeared in 32 games for the Cardinals over three seasons, rushing for 33 yards for a total of nine carries and catching four passes for 45 yards and one touchdown. He appeared in five games this season but didn’t touch the ball on offense and mostly played on special teams.
He was sidelined with a hamstring injury but is now fully healthy and ready to be claimed by waivers.
Also Tuesday, the Cardinals released offensive lineman Jean Delance and defensive lineman Michael Dogbe from the practice team.
Wide receiver Greg Dortch had an MRI on his thumb Tuesday and his availability for Sunday’s game is uncertain at this time.
