Cardinals Name Rams’ Mike LaFleur as New Head Coach
The Arizona Cardinals have appointed Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur as their new head coach, the team announced on Sunday, February 1, 2026. LaFleur, who turns 39 in March, has agreed to a five-year contract with the franchise.
LaFleur’s hiring fills the final open head coaching position in the NFL this offseason. He replaces Jonathan Gannon, who was fired on January 5 after three seasons with the Cardinals.
“I couldn’t be more fired up to become the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and am beyond grateful to (owner) Michael (Bidwill) and (GM) Monti (Ossenfort) for this opportunity,” LaFleur said in a statement released by the team. “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.”
General Manager Monti Ossenfort praised LaFleur’s experience and coaching style. “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,” Ossenfort said. “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.”
LaFleur’s arrival in Arizona marks a return to the NFC West for the coach, having spent the past three seasons as offensive coordinator for the Rams. During his time in Los Angeles, the Rams’ offense consistently ranked among the league’s best, finishing fifth in passing yards, first downs, and touchdowns, sixth in yards and points per game, and eighth in red-zone efficiency.
Prior to his tenure with the Rams, LaFleur served as offensive coordinator for the New York Jets for two seasons, where he called plays. He has also worked with Kyle Shanahan, beginning as an intern with the Cleveland Browns and later as an offensive assistant with the Atlanta Falcons and passing game coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers.
LaFleur’s brother, Matt LaFleur, is the head coach of the Green Bay Packers, making the LaFleurs just the third pair of brothers to simultaneously serve as NFL head coaches.
The Cardinals finished the 2025 season with a 3-14 record and the worst point differential in the NFC (-133). The team also ended the year with 25 players on injured reserve. Quarterback Kyler Murray’s future with the organization remains uncertain following a foot injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the 2025 season. Releasing Murray would result in a $57.7 million dead cap hit, according to Over The Cap.
LaFleur is an Elmhurst University graduate, where he played both quarterback and in the secondary. He also served as an offensive assistant coach for the Bluejays in 2009. He is the first Elmhurst University alum to become an NFL head coach and one of five NCAA Division III alumni currently leading an NFL team.
“We’re so proud of Coach LaFleur, and will always be grateful for his contributions to Elmhurst University as a student-athlete and coach,” said Elmhurst University President Troy D. VanAken.
