In a surprising turn of events, the Philadelphia Eagles were left bothered by the Arizona Cardinals' pursuit of their former defensive coordinator, a recent ESPN report revealed. The Eagles were unhappy with the lack of communication and the potential tampering involved in the Cardinals' approach.

According to the report, the Cardinals' general manager, Ossenfort, reached out to the former defensive coordinator, Gannon, without informing the Eagles. This omission led to a tampering charge against the Cardinals. Philadelphia was disappointed because they were not given the opportunity to plan for a replacement, specifically their in-house candidate, Vic Fangio.

During the phone call in January, Ossenfort congratulated Gannon on the Eagles' advancement to the Super Bowl and offered him the opportunity to interview for the Cardinals' opening. Gannon expressed interest but believed the call did not violate any rules. The Eagles, at the time, had the impression that they would retain Gannon as their defensive coordinator.

It was later revealed that the Cardinals did not inform Eagles general manager Howie Roseman about their intention to interview Gannon until the Friday before the Super Bowl. This delayed communication left the Eagles scrambling, as Fangio, their top choice to replace Gannon, had already committed to becoming the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins.

Reports circulated within NFL circles that Gannon was further along in negotiations with the Cardinals than previously disclosed. However, Gannon denied these rumors, stating that it was "100% false" and that the Eagles' perception of his intentions was incorrect.

Following the Super Bowl, the Eagles approached Gannon and informed him that he would not be returning with the team and instead urged him to interview for the Cardinals' head coach position. It was at this point that Gannon shifted his mindset towards potentially becoming the Cardinals coach.

In the aftermath of the situation, the Cardinals and Eagles reached an agreement on April 27, during the NFL Draft. The teams agreed to resolve the issue by swapping third-round draft picks in 2023. Arizona sent their No. 66 pick to Philadelphia and received the Eagles' 94th pick, as well as a fifth-round pick in 2024.

Meanwhile, the Eagles found a replacement for Gannon in Sean Desai. However, their defensive performance has been lackluster, leading to mid-season adjustments in December, with senior defensive assistant Matt Patricia taking over as the play-caller.

The fallout from the Cardinals' pursuit of the former Eagles defensive coordinator continues to generate discussion in NFL circles. It remains to be seen how both teams will fare moving forward, but the controversy surrounding the abrupt departure of Gannon has certainly left an impact on Philadelphia.