INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jonathan Gannon still sometimes thinks about the two fun seasons he spent in Philadelphia, working alongside Shane Steichen.
Back then, they were coordinators bouncing ideas off one another as they tried to become better coaches and help guide the Eagles toward the Super Bowl following the 2022 season. Within days of losing that game, 38-35 to Kansas City, they split up.
The Arizona Cardinals hired Gannon as their head coach and
the Indianapolis Colts hired Steichen as theirs. On Sunday, they'll square off for the first time in a regular-season game — with a mutual respect that goes well beyond the usual football bounds.
“I light up when I talk about Shane because I know how good he is being with him for those two years we were together," Gannon said Wednesday. “He’s a really good football coach and he knows how to use his people and use his weapons. He knows how to get the most out of the quarterback.”
That's certainly been true this season as Steichen, the ex-offensive coordinator, has pushed all the right buttons in Daniel Jones' comeback season. Jones has already surpassed his victory total from his last 16 starts with the New York Giants and he has the Colts (4-1) perched atop the AFC South with Jacksonville.
Steichen also is demonstrating some of the creativity Gannon remembers, too.
Rookie tight end Tyler Warren already has TD run, a TD catch and a key block on another scoring run. He has lined up in the backfield on short-yardage plays, threw away a pass last week to avoid losing yardage and Steichen has said he and his staff are having fun thinking up new ways to deploy Warren.
Gannon isn't surprised by any of it.
“They're a good team,” the former Eagles defensive coordinator said. "It’s a big-time challenge.”
But it hasn't been all fun and games since they went their own ways, either.
Both coaches struggled through their first two seasons, missing the playoffs each time.
Gannon's Cardinals (2-3) have lost three straight since a 2-0 start — all on last-second field goals, marking the first time that has happened in the NFL. And last weekend, Arizona blew a 21-6 fourth-quarter lead to previously winless Tennessee. Plus, the Cardinals are missing their top two running backs because of injuries and quarterback Kyler Murray (foot) also is hurt.
Yet none of it has changed the way these friendly foes feel about one another.
“It’s been a couple of years now and obviously we’re evolving, they’re evolving. Things change over time too, just words you use and all those different things.," Steichen said. “I think they do a phenomenal job.”
It’s not just the mounting losses or growing number of injuries that has made this a tough few weeks for the Cardinals.
Gannon also was fined $100,000 by the team on Tuesday for his heated sideline interaction with running back Emari Demercado, who had a potential 72-yard touchdown run nullified when he dropped the ball just before getting across the goal line.
Still, Gannon said his team isn’t in panic mode and that the vibe in the locker room was “dope as hell” during Wednesday’s meetings.
Demercado's egregious, costly mistake put him in a class by himself this week. But when he steps onto the field Sunday, Demercado will not be alone.
In fact, he'll find two Colts players who can empathize with his plight: wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, who made the same error in a Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Rams; and running back Jonathan Taylor, who did the same thing in a loss at Denver last December. That defeat might have kept Indy out of the playoffs.
Steichen said he has not spoken to Gannon this week about Demercado's miscue.
When former Colts players return to Lucas Oil Stadium, they tend to get warm receptions.
On Sunday, Cardinals receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will find out if the sons of former Colts players receive similar treatment.
Harrison is the son of Hall of Famer receiver Marvin Harrison, who spent 13 seasons in Indianapolis and set franchise records with 1,102 receptions, 14,580 yards and 128 TDs.
“It's going to be emotional, for sure, but I'm going to try and keep the same thing, try and go in there and get a win,” the younger Harrison said. “I have a lot of good memories, good times, seeing my dad doing great things there."
Despite all of the Cardinals' current problems, the defense has actually been pretty good. Arizona is giving up just 19.2 points per game, which ranks fourth in the league.
Edge rusher Josh Sweat was one of the team’s key signings during the offseason and has five sacks over his first five games with the team. He has had at least one in the past four games, the NFL's longest active streak.
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AP Sports Writer David Brandt in Glendale, Arizona, also contributed to this report.
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