The Arizona Cardinals officially found their next head coach, and it was something they looked at early on in the hiring cycle from the Los Angeles Rams.
The Arizona Cardinals were one of the few NFL teams remaining without a head coach, and as the openings continued to fill with promising candidates, their search options got slimmer. However, they managed to land someone they identified early on in the process, as the team announced that they’re hiring Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur to be their next head coach. It will be LaFleur’s first stint as a head coach. He is the younger brother of Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur.
LaFleur has been instrumental to the success of the Rams’ offense, including leading quarterback Matt Stafford to an MVP-campaign season. Arizona had initially interviewed LaFleur virtually early in the hiring cycle, and then the team hosted him for a two-day interview on Monday and Tuesday, where he met with team executives at a dinner. He will now look to retool a Cardinals’ offense that floundered under injuries and ineffectiveness, including mentoring either Jacoby Brissett or the next presumed starter for Arizona.
Here is the full story from Rams Roundtable writer James Brizuela on what the Cardinals are gaining in their new head coach.
LaFleur first broke into the NFL coaching ranks in 2014, when he became an offensive intern for the Cleveland Browns. He then became an offensive assistant for the Atlanta Falcons from 2015 to 2016. He later became the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach for the San Franscisco 49ers. He got his first shot at offensive coordinator with the New York Jets, where he spent two seasons before joining the Rams in 2023. The 38-year-old becomes one of the youngest head coaches in the NFL as he leaves for an NFC West division rival.