Arizona Cardinals Head Coach, Jonathan Gannon Is Not Related To Former NFL QB, Rich Gannon

Just the NFL Connection!

September 26, 2026

This article was last updated by Alisha Shrestha on September 26, 2026

Despite sharing a last name and having notable football careers, neither Jonathan Gannon, 42, nor Rich Gannon, 58, is related.

Many NFL fans thought they were cousins, but in fact, that wasn’t the case, though we have seen plenty of players who have blood relation and are close relatives.

Different Career Paths for the Gannons

Jonathan Gannon was appointed as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in February 2026.

He began his NFL career in 2007 with the Atlanta Falcons and has also worked for other NFL teams, including the Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, and Philadelphia Eagles.

Jonathan, being one of the youngest managers in the league, has coached fewer than 50 games in his career, and often has a defensive-minded approach.

On the other hand, Rich Gannon, the former NFL quarterback, did not have a coaching career. However, he has held media roles, including analyst positions for NFL Network and other football coverage.

After an outstanding career at the University of Delaware, he was drafted in the fourth round by the New England Patriots in 1987, but was traded shortly to the Minnesota Vikings.

He played as a backup quarterback and saw limited playing time before moving on to the Washington Redskins in 1993. However, he only spent two seasons there and was not involved in the 1994 season.

The former QB went on to play for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders next. His best time as a player came with the Raiders.

Rich Gannon made it to four Pro Bowl selections in a row from 1999, and also made to the First-Team All-Pro team.

He also led the Raiders to the Super Bowl in 2002 and was awarded the NFL MVP, but they came up short against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, losing 48-21.

Gannon also had post-season playoff experience during his time with the Raiders, from 2000 to 2003. The former NFL QB now works as a Sirius NFL Radio & NFL on CBS Analyst.

In Case You Didn’t Know

• Rich Gannon played in 172 regular-season NFL games over his career from 1987 to 2004.
• Jonathan Gannon played college football at John Carroll University as a defensive back.
• Peyton Manning & Eli Manning, Tiki & Ronde Barber, Chris & Kyle Long, and Clay Matthews & Bruce Matthews are the few NFL players who share the same last name and are also related.
  

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Anish Koirala has loved sports since he was a kid. He grew up playing basketball and soccer, and that passion stayed with him over the years. Today, Anish works as a writer and editor, sharing his knowledge and love for the game through articles and stories. He uses his playing experience to make his writing clear, thoughtful, and fun to read.

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