Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim is taking an indefinite, health-related leave of absence from the team, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Wednesday.
Keim’s duties are being handled on an interim basis by VP of player personnel Quentin Harris and VP of pro personnel Adrian Wilson, Rapoport added.
The Cardinals confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that Keim is taking a health-related leave of absence.
“The team is declining further comment citing legal requirements for privacy,” the Cardinals said.
Keim has spent his entire NFL career with the Cardinals, where he first came on board as a regional scout in 1999. Keim steadily climbed the front office ladder, advancing to director of college scouting in 2006, director of player personnel in 2008, and general manager in 2013. In that span, Arizona reached its first-ever Super Bowl (XLIII) in the 2008 season, made five postseason appearances, and twice reached the NFC Championship Game, with the Sporting News naming Keim the NFL executive of the year for the 2014 season.
Despite recent late-season struggles, Keim earned the approval of Cardinals ownership in March, signing a contract extension with the team through the 2027 season along with head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
This will not be Keim’s first stint spent away from the team.
The GM pleaded guilty to extreme DUI charges in July of 2018, drawing a five-week suspension and a $200,000 fine from the organization. He returned following the suspension and maintained his post until Wednesday’s news, which will leave the 4-9 Cardinals without their personnel chief for the foreseeable future.
The Cardinals visit the Denver Broncos on Sunday.