A single moment of premature celebration cost the Arizona Cardinals a victory on Sunday, but it won’t cost running back Emari Demercado his spot on the field. Head coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed that Demercado will face no team punishment for a devastating fourth-quarter fumble that turned a surefire touchdown into a game-changing turnover in a 22-21 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
The decision comes after Gannon had to apologize for his heated sideline reaction to the play.
Why Did Jonathan Gannon Apologize for His Sideline Outburst?
Following Demercado’s mistake, the video showed Gannon confronting the running back on the sideline, appearing to get in his face and make contact with his arm. On Monday, the coach admitted he crossed a line. “I woke up this morning and didn’t feel great about it, honestly,” Gannon said. He shared that he let his emotions get the best of him and apologized directly to Demercado and the entire team.
Gannon explained that his reaction stemmed from frustration over a game with costly mistakes and penalties. He acknowledged that maintaining emotional stability is a core part of his responsibility as a head coach. Despite the critical error, Gannon did not bench Demercado after the play and confirmed there would be no further repercussions for the blunder, calling it “the best thing for the team.”
The play happened early in the fourth quarter while Arizona held a 21-6 lead. Demercado broke free for what should have been a 72-yard touchdown, but he dropped the football just before crossing the goal line while celebrating. The result was a touchback, giving possession to the Tennessee Titans instead of extending the Cardinals’ lead to 28-6.
This mistake drew a sharp rebuke from ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith on First Take. “I’d bench his a** immediately,” Smith said. “And if I didn’t do it, then after the game, he would have known he wasn’t playing next week.”
Tennessee seized the opportunity presented by the turnover, scoring 16 unanswered points to mount a comeback that was sealed by a last-second field goal. The loss was the Cardinals’ third straight, with all three defeats coming on final-play field goals.
Gannon noted that Demercado’s error was one of many that contributed to the loss. “So, it’s a mistake by me, and it’s just like everybody in there, everybody made some type of mistake yesterday, which culminates to why we didn’t win the game,” Gannon said about the team’s overall performance.
The Cardinals’ offensive struggles are reflected in their season-long metrics. The team currently ranks 27th in PFSN’s Offense Impact (OFFi) metric for the 2025 season, holding a D+ grade with a score of 68.2.