The Arizona Cardinals have found their next head coach, not long after losing out on the sweepstakes to land Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur has been hired as the next head coach of the Cardinals, the team announced Sunday. With Sunday’s news of the Cardinals hiring LaFleur and the Las Vegas Raiders planning to hire Kubiak, all 10 head coach vacancies have been filled.
LaFleur, 38, has been the Rams’ offensive coordinator for the last three seasons, helping Los Angeles undergo a resurgence following its disappointing 2022 season. Under LaFleur’s watch, the Rams’ offense has been among the best in football over the last few years, with quarterback Matthew Stafford playing at an MVP level and wide receiver Puka Nacua becoming an Offensive Player of the Year candidate in 2025. The Rams’ offense led the league in yards and points this season, too.
While LaFleur was the offensive coordinator for a prolific offense, he wasn’t viewed as highly of a coaching candidate as other coordinators because head coach Sean McVay calls plays for the Rams. FOX Sports’ Henry McKenna didn’t include LaFleur in his nine best head coach candidate ranking as a result.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, weren’t viewed as a top destination among the 10 head coach vacancies this offseason, either. FOX Sports’ Ben Arthur ranked the Arizona job as the second-worst vacancy this offseason, with the Miami Dolphins being the only team ranked behind the Cardinals. The Cardinals went 3-14 in 2025, which was tied for the worst record in the league, and have questions at quarterback following Kyler Murray’s regression this past season.
LaFleur is the second member of his family to become a head coach. His older brother, Matt LaFleur, has been the head coach of the Green Bay Packers since 2019.
Prior to joining the Rams in 2023, LaFleur was the offensive coordinator of the New York Jets for two seasons and worked as an assistant under Kyle Shanahan with the San Francisco 49ers for four years.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
