Excitement, joy, relief, disappointment, or maybe a mix of all four. Regardless of the mood in Silicon Valley, one thing is certain: The Arizona Cardinals finally have a head coach.
The Cardinals have agreed to a five-year deal with Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who is backing Sean McVay in building the NFL’s No. 1 scoring offense in 2025, according to numerous reports. The news broke almost immediately after the Las Vegas Raiders hired Seahawks offensive coordinator Clint Kubiak, who was also heavily pursued by Arizona.
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The Cardinals became the last team to make a hire in this coaching cycle, 27 days after Jonathan Gannon was fired. LaFleur will become the 44th head coach in the franchise’s long history and the 11th since the franchise moved to Arizona.
“During this very thorough process, we had the opportunity to speak with an outstanding group of candidates and glean a wealth of insights from each of them,” said Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell. “At the end of the process, it was clear that Mike LaFleur possesses all the attributes needed to lead this team to success as a head coach. He is extremely smart and has an exceptionally sharp, creative football mind. Mike is also a dynamic and innovative leader and is exactly the type of person we are looking for to guide our team as a head coach.”
Arizona Cardinals hire Mike LaFleur
August 14, 2025; Carson, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur reacts during a combine practice at Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
LaFleur is the brother of Matt LaFleur, Green Bay’s perennial playoff head coach. He’s spent nearly his entire career alongside some of the NFL’s most elite offensive minds in McVay and Kyle Shanahan. On the surface, an unsuccessful stint with the New York Jets doesn’t tell his full story.
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Not only is LaFleur familiar with the high-octane NFC West, the 38-year-old offensive mind is a veteran of 12 NFL seasons and began his career under Shanahan, with stops in Cleveland, Atlanta and San Francisco along the way.
“Throughout his career, Mike has worked alongside some of the best and brightest coaches in football and has been a key contributor to the team’s tremendous success,” Cardinals general manager Monty Ossenfort said.
“He understands what it’s like to win football games and what it takes to get there. Mike is a great communicator with a detail-oriented teaching style that always gets the best out of his players, and we’re very excited to have him bring that ability to the Cardinals.”
After spending the 2019-2020 season with the 49ers, LaFleur joined New York Cardinals coaching target Robert Saleh’s staff to call out the offense for the first time. An argument can be made for the ineffectiveness of that term in terms of overall wins and losses, but these records don’t tell the full story.
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Before LaFleur arrived in New York, the Jets’ offense was leaderless — even though, ironically, center Sam Darnold was a quarterback who is now an NFC champion. The passing attack didn’t improve after being handed Zach Wilson, but LaFleur was still able to make some positive improvements. New York’s offensive PFF grade immediately spiked, with pass blocks jumping from 53.4 to 64.4. Their rushing grade improved from 75.2 to 82.1, and their run grade improved by nearly 10 points to 74.1. While the Jets don’t field the most impact talent, the team’s fundamentals have improved significantly under LaFleur.
When LaFleur leaves New York between the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the Jets offense begins to spiral again. Their total offensive EPA/game dropped from -0.09 to -0.26, while their passing offense dropped significantly, from -0.11 to -0.30 – despite fielding similar skill players and the same quarterback.
Scheme-wise, LaFleur will bring a new look to Arizona’s offense. There will be an emphasis on offensive playmakers. LaFleur is no stranger to the look of No. 12 and No. 13, but that will no longer be a staple of the Cardinals offense. A greater balance between the run and pass, and the ability to stretch the field without relying on a system like the Air Raid, could be a welcome sight for Cardinals fans who have endured the heavy-handed, run-first scheme of the previous staff.
Questions remain about the Cardinals’ quarterback situation, with Kyler Murray seemingly poised to leave Phoenix this offseason. Beyond that, LaFleur has plenty of talent to work with: All-Pro tight end Trey McBride, 1,000-yard wideout Michael Wilson and former fourth overall pick Marvin Harrison.
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Meanwhile, the rest of Arizona’s coaching staff remains uncertain. Defensive coordinator Nick Rallis is Gannon’s only notable coach still under contract. Who LaFleur might bring in to bolster his staff is unknown, but he has no shortage of connections after spending so many seasons with the NFC West’s elite.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and I’m extremely grateful to Michael (Bidwill) and Monty (Oxenford) for this opportunity,” LaFleur said. “Having played against them multiple times in the NFC in recent years, I know the talent and toughness of this team and I can’t wait to get to Arizona and get started.”
A new era of Cardinals football has arrived.