The Arizona Cardinals fired offensive line coach and running game coordinator Sean Kugler on Tuesday after an incident the night before the team’s game in Mexico City on Monday.
Cardinals fire offensive line coach Sean Kugler after an incident in Mexico City
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Coach Kliff Kingsbury confirmed the incident happened on Sunday night to the Arizona Republic. Kugler was fired prior to Arizona’s 38-10 loss to San Francisco on Monday.
“We relieved him of his duties, and he was sent home Monday morning prior to the game,” Kingsbury told the Republic. “It’s challenging anytime you make a staff change in that type of manner and I’m just going to leave it at that.”
There has been no further information released about the nature of the incident.
The Cardinals spent the weekend in Mexico City before facing the 49ers on Monday night. Following the game, the team returned to Arizona.
Kugler was hired as an assistant by Arizona in 2019, and he was promoted to running game coordinator in June 2021.
Kugler’s duties will be shared by assistant offensive line coach Brian Natkin and tight ends coach Steve Heiden, according to Kingsbury.
Mike Bercovici, an offensive assistant, will fill in for Heiden as tight ends coach.
After this season, Kingsbury said, a search for a new running game coordinator and offensive line coach would begin.
The Cardinals have lost an assistant for the second time this season.
James Saxon, the running backs coach, was placed on administrative leave in August after ESPN reported that he had been charged with assaulting a woman in Indianapolis.
