Thamel has coached the Cardinals’ linebackers for the last two seasons and spent the previous two with the Minnesota Vikings as defensive quality control coach in 2021 and assistant linebackers coach in 2022.

Virginia Tech has hired Sam Siefkes as defensive coordinator after he spent the last two seasons as the Arizona Cardinals' linebackers coach. Siefkes had come to Arizona after two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.

Most recently, he was the linebackers coach for the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals’ defense ranked highly in several areas in 2024. Before that, Siefkes worked for the Minneso

The Arizona Cardinals will have at least two vacancies to fill on their defensive staff. A day after they lost linebackers coach Sam Siefkes, who became the defensive coordinator at Virginia Tech, they will need to find a new defensive line coach.