Arizona Cardinals fire assistant coach Sean Kugler after incident in Mexico City
The Arizona Cardinals have fired offensive line coach and run game coordinator Sean Kugler. The Cardinals haven't officially confirmed Kugler's dismissal but the coach was no longer listed on the team's website on Tuesday.
Sources told ESPN that Kugler allegedly groped a woman Sunday night and Mexican authorities, who were notified of the incident, contacted the Cardinals.
Coach Kliff Kingsbury told Bob McManaman of The Arizona Republic that Kugler was fired for an unspecified incident that happened on Sunday night in Mexico City, one day before the team's 38-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers at Estadio Azteca.
"We relieved him of his duties, and he was sent home Monday morning prior to the game," Kingsbury told McManaman. "It's challenging anytime you make a staff change in that type of manner."
The coach didn't elaborate on what caused the dismissal.
The 56-year-old Kugler had been on Kingsbury's staff since 2019 and was the head coach at UTEP from 2013 to 2017. He was popular among the players and Kingsbury routinely praised his work.
The Cardinals are 4-7 this season and injuries on the offensive line have been one of the team's many issues. Four of the five starters missed Monday night's game because of various ailments.
Kugler is the second member of the Cardinals' coaching staff to face discipline this season. Running backs coach James Saxon was placed on administrative leave after he was charged with two counts of domestic battery.