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Andy Reid leads Arizona Cardinals head coaching targets, per report

Former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid is reportedly the leading candidate to replace Ken Whisenhunt as the Arizona Cardinals' head coach.

Andy Lyons

The Arizona Cardinals are targeting former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid to replace Ken Whisenhunt, who was fired on Monday. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that a deal could be done by the end of the week.

The Cardinals will reportedly meet with defensive coordinator Ray Horton on Wednesday to interview him for the head coaching vacancy. Horton was not fired with Whisenhunt, but he's also a candidate for the Cleveland and Buffalo head coaching jobs.

Reid spent 14 seasons with the Eagles and boasts a 130-93-1 record as head coach. The Arizona job could be appealing to the BYU graduate for several reasons. His wife, Tammy, is from the Phoenix area and he would be closer to family. Reid is also familiar with the state, having coached the offensive line at Northern Arizona University in 1986.

Furthermore, team president Michael Bidwell said earlier in the week that the franchise was not about to give up on Kevin Kolb as the quarterback, and Reid has familiarity with Kolb, who played for the head coach in Philadelphia. Reid's background as an offensive line coach also fits with what the Cardinals need most. That unit was responsible for the offensive woes of 2012, a season the team finished off by losing 11 of its final 12 games.

Both Reid and Whisenhunt were among the NFL head coaches that were fired on Monday.