Cardinals hire Wilks; Giants pick Shurmur

The Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants announced the hiring of new head coaches Monday.

Steve Wilks, the Carolina Panthers’ defensive coordinator, had agreed to a four-year contract with the Cardinals with a team option for a fifth.

Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur has been hired as the Giants’ head coach, less than 24 hours after Shurmur and the Vikings were beaten by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC title game.

Wilks, 48, spent one season as coordinator in Carolina, his 12th year as an NFL assistant. Wilks spent five seasons as Panthers secondary coach before his promotion a year ago.

Wilks replaces the colorful and outspoken Bruce Arians, who retired after five seasons and compiled a franchiserecord 50 victories.

With the hiring of Wilks, all three major football programs in the state have African-American coaches — Wilks, Herm Edwards at Arizona State and Kevin Sumlin at Arizona. Wilks is the Cardinals’ second African-American coach (Denny Green was the first) and the only minority to get an NFL head coaching job this hiring cycle.

The 52-year-old Shurmur replaces Ben McAdoo, who was fired by the Giants in early December with the team mired with a 2-10 record and owners and fans upset with his handling of the benching of two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning.

Shurmur returns to the head coaching ranks for the first time since leading the Cleveland Browns in 2011-12. He takes over a troubled team that posted a 3-13 record a year after making the playoffs.

The Panthers wasted little time naming a new defensive coordinator to replace Wilks. Panthers coach Ron Rivera has promoted defensive line coach Eric Washington as Wilks’ replacement.