Due to injuries in their backfield, the Arizona Cardinals are using third and fourth-string players. RB James Conner suffered a season-ending injury in Week 3 vs. the 49ers.
Additionally, backup Trey Benson suffered a knee injury in Week 4 and has been placed on the IR. In the fourth quarter of Week 5 vs. Tennessee, Emari Demercado accidentally dropped the ball before he crossed the goal line. This voided a touchdown that would have put the Cardinals up by three scores. Head coach Jonathan Gannon was irate on the sideline and got in the face of Demercado. On Tuesday morning, NFL insiders reported that Gannon publicly apologized to Emari Demercado for his sideline outburst.
Jonathan Gannon reflected on his fiery sideline incident with RB Emari Demercado
Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon apologized to Emari Demercado during a team meeting Monday for his reaction after the running back let go of the football before crossing the goal line on what would’ve been a 72-yard touchdown.
Story via @joshweinfuss:https://t.co/eumfWzyUV5
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 7, 2025
Up 21-6 in the fourth quarter of Week 5, Emari Demercado took a handoff from Kyler Murray on third and one. Demercado burst through the line untouched and had a clear path to the endzone. Despite it being a 72-yard rush, Emari Demercado made a gigantic mistake. Before he fully crossed the goal line, the third-year pro dropped the ball. A touchdown was called back for the Cardinals, and they would have been up 28-6 with roughly 12:00 minutes left.
According to ESPN, teams were 1,276-1 over the past 25 seasons when up by 22 points in the fourth quarter. Instead of taking a three-score lead, the Cardinals retained a 21-6 advantage. After Emari Demercado’s inexcusable fumble, he was seen being consoled on the sideline by lineman Paris Johnson Jr.
AGAIN. #Cardinals RB Emari Demercado just had a 76-yard TD — but he let go of the ball before crossing the goal line, and it’s a touchback.
HOW DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING?!
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 5, 2025
That’s when head coach Jonathan Gannon found Demercado on the sideline and let him have it. The 26-year-old RB cost the Cardinals a valuable touchdown in the fourth quarter. Gannon was seen in Demercado’s face, and he even made contact with his right arm when walking away. After reflecting on the incident, Jonathan Gannon said, “I woke up this morning and didn’t feel great about it, honestly.”
Arizona’s head coach addressed the team on Monday and publicly apologized to RB Emari Demercado. Joanthan Gannon said he let the moment get the better of him. It was not a great look for Gannon on the sideline. At 2-3, the Cardinals have a tough two-game stretch ahead. They are on the road in Week 6 to face the Colts and then home in Week 7 vs. the Green Bay Packers. Will lose three straight games and fall to 2-5?