The Arizona Cardinals have wrapped up the NFL’s coaching carousel by hiring divisional rival Mike LaFleur away from Los Angeles.
Mike LaFleur will be tasked with raising Arizona.
Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network first reported Sunday the Arizona Cardinals were set to name LaFleur the 44th head coach in franchise history. The team confirmed the report shortly after, stating that LaFleur was bestowed a 5-year contract.
“In his career, Mike has been around some of the best and brightest coaches in football and has been a key contributor to highly successful teams,” Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort said in the statement from team writer Darren Urban. “He understands what winning football looks like and what it takes to achieve it. Mike is a strong communicator with a detail-oriented teaching style that has always gotten the best from his players and we are incredibly excited for him to bring that to the Cardinals.”
Combined with Pelissero and Rapoport’s prior report that the Las Vegas Raiders are said to be hiring Super Bowl LX participant Klint Kubiak for their own vacancy, the NFL’s coaching carousel has effectively paused for the winter. Arizona held the last of 10 head coaching vacancies as nearly a third of the league opted for a change of scenery after this past season.
LaFleur will be switching divisional allegiances, as he spent the past three seasons as the offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams, who also rep the NFC West. He is the younger brother of Matt, the tenured head coach of the Green Bay Packers. Under his watch, the Los Angeles offense finished 1st in points and yardage (albeit not with LaFleur as playcaller) in a year that saw the Rams return to the NFC Championship Game.
Welcome to the Arizona Cardinals, Coach LaFleur. pic.twitter.com/1qaDLMOUkw
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) February 1, 2026
With the younger LaFleur in tow, Puka Nacua developed into one of the league’s top playmakers and boasted a dangerous two-headed rushing attack in Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. Aging franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford also enjoyed a late breakout, as he posted a league-best 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns in what could well become an MVP season. LaFleur has been an NFL sideline staple since 2014 and also served as the offensive boss for the New York Jets for two tours (2021-22).
“I couldn’t be more fired up to become the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and am beyond grateful to (Cardinals owner) Michael (Bidwill) and Monti for this opportunity,” LaFleur said in the statement. “Having competed against them in the NFC so many times in recent years, I know the type of talent and toughness the team has and cannot wait to get to Arizona to hit the ground running.”
LaFleur will be tasked with dragging the Cardinals out of the divisional mire, as they were the only team in the West quartet that failed to appear on the NFC bracket. Arizona went 3-14 last season and went without a playoff appearance for the fourth consecutive season, leading to the ousting of LaFleur’s predecessor Jonathan Gannon.
Time will tell if LaFleur will be working with tenured Cardianls franchise quarterback Kyler Murray, whom many view as a prime candidate for a trade this offseason. He’ll likely be armed with tight end Trey McBride, who enjoyed a 1,239-yard, 11-touchdown tally to firmly establish himself as one of the NFL’s best at the position.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
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