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listen Listen: Ray Horton, AZ Cardinals' former defensive coordinator
How does he feel about not getting the AZ Cardinals' head coaching job? How does he feel about being released from his contract with the team?

You'd think a guy who guided a successful defense for two seasons and then was passed over by that team for their vacant head coaching position would be pretty steamed, right?

If you thought that, you'd be wrong. Former Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton didn't land the job he deeply wanted when Ken Whisenhunt was fired. Instead, Horton has moved on to be the new defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns and Todd Bowles will lead the Arizona defense. But Horton has no bitterness toward the team that passed on his services.

"Mr. Bidwill, his position is to get the best guy for the team, in his opinion," Horton told Burns and Gambo Thursday on Arizona Sports 620. "I guarantee you, that's exactly what he did, in his opinion he got the best guy for the team, and I'm good with that. That's life, that's reality, that's what it is, and you move on."

After the announcement that Bruce Arians would be the next head coach, there were rumblings that Horton had a "heated discussion" with new general manager Steve Keim. Horton addressed that as well.

"Not true," he said. "The GM and I had not talked since Monday morning when we just sat down and had an open, honest communication and talk.

"I believe we have a great friendship, so there was no arguing, no yelling and no cursing. I respected the process that they went through and doing their due dilligence, and it was just time to move on."

Despite changing his work address, Horton still hopes for the best for his former colleague, Arians, and the team that gave him his first opportunity to be a coordinator in the league.

"Bruce is going to do a heck of a job. You watch, they're going to be averaging about 30 points per game and I believe Todd will continue to build upon what I did -- they're going to be winning games 30 to 10. They're going to be blowing people out."

Vince Marotta, Web Content Editor - ArizonaSports.com

8 Comments   |   Join the conversation »
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  • Abuse
    jcwaddle wrote...
    30-10?...
    Sounds good to me.
  • Abuse
    CardsFan_ wrote...
    Good to hear
    Horton didn't have to say anything, but he chose to come on an AZ radio station and say good things. Class act. I'm sure he'll get his shot at HC somewhere eventually.
  • Abuse
    enforcer wrote...
    Good guy
    Horton seems like a quality guy, shame that he left.
  • Abuse
    Boris N. wrote...
    Ray Horton
    What a class thing to say and on a Phoenix radio station to boot. I was not surprised he was passed up but would have liked him stay. Bruce Arians is the right man for the job. Horton will become Head Coach one day. He is gonna do well at Cleveland under Norv Turner.
  • Abuse
    dbaylesjr wrote...
    Ray Horton Interview
    Not just a class act, which Ray Horton absolutely is, but also a highly skilled coach whose schemes were innovative and exciting.. Also a guy who could motivate men. Hope we pass his way again.
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    sayswho wrote...
    nice guy
    But the defensive genius everyone says he is? According to NFL.com, the Cards had the #14 overall defense in 2008, #13 in 2009, and #4 in 2010. Horton joined the staff in 2011 and the Cards were #14 in 2011 and #12 in 2012. Seems to me that the defense was already pretty well set when he arrived. Not to throw the race card, but I will. If he wasn't a minority, and teams didn't need to observe the Rooney rule, would he get so much attention about head coaching jobs? His resume says no.
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    StubbyJ23 wrote...
    Defense
    Sure our defense was 12th overall, mainly becaue our poor numbers in stopping the run. Most people laud Horton's ability for "transforming" the D because of what the secondary accomplished. 5th overall in opponent passing yards, 1st in opponent QB/passer rating. While we were average in both those previous years.
  • Abuse
    STEVE88 wrote...
    cardinals
    GO CARDINALS!!!!!!!!!!!! GO BIG RED!!!!!!
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