NFL Scandal: Former Cardinals coach used burner phone for illegal communication during suspension

Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks had a tumultuous run as the head man in the desert, lasting only one season with a 3-13 record.

Now, the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator has come out with a bombshell allegation, suggesting that during his tenure as head coach in Arizona, a team executive gave him a burner phone to communicate with former GM Steve Keim under orders from Keim and team owner Michael Bidwill during Keim's suspension.

ESPN Investigative Reporter Tisha Thompson also reported that lawyers for the Arizona Cardinals asked an NFL arbitrator to destroy the videotape and transcript of the deposition of the team's former head coach Steve Wilks, but the arbitrator ruled on Monday to keep the material.

"With me being a first-year head coach, I felt uncomfortable from the beginning that I worked this hard to get to this plateau and this opportunity, and then I was presented with this situation with being unethical."

- Steve Wilks, Former Arizona Cardinals HC

Additionally, according to Thompson, Wilks said team owner Michael Bidwill berated him multiple times, including a post-game incident that occurred in front of Wilks' 9-year-old son. However, the Cardinals denied the reports, citing that Wilks' words were not admissible.

Steve Wilks was set up to fail by the Arizona Cardinals, and this bombshell report only emphasizes that notion

As if there weren't enough reasons to question the moral and ethical behavior that has been permeating the Cardinals franchise, this now adds to it in the worst way possible. Steve Wilks' reputation was essentially sabotaged.

Before coming to Arizona, Wilks established himself as a bright mind, helping lead the Carolina Panthers' defense en route to a 15-1 record and Super Bowl 50 appearance. Now, as the defensive coordinator in San Francisco, Wilks has an opportunity to get back at the Cardinals franchise, and this time, he has the requisite firepower on his roster to do so.