by: Nick Geddes 7 hours ago NickGeddesNews
The Arizona Cardinals plan to hire Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur as their head coach, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. LaFleur will make the jump to head coach but remain in the NFC West after spending the last three seasons under Sean McVay .
Mike LaFleur, brother of Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur , is finalizing a five-year deal with Arizona. He will replace Jonathan Gannon , fired after the 2025 season. With LaFleur in place, all 10 NFL head coach vacancies have been filled.
LaFleur, 38, got his start in coaching as an offensive assistant for Elmhurst in 2009. An offensive intern for the Cleveland Browns in 2014, LaFleur quickly rose through the NFL coaching ranks. In 2017, he became passing game coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers under Kyle Shanahan , a role he held through the 2020 season.
In 2021, then 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh became head coach of the New York Jets. LaFleur followed him to New York, serving as the team’s offensive coordinator. Both sides parted ways after two seasons. LaFleur found a lifeline with McVay, who brought him on as offensive coordinator in 2023.
Though he didn’t call plays in Los Angeles, LaFleur got the chance to work alongside and learn under arguably the game’s most innovative play-caller in McVay. That proved to be appealing for Arizona, a job that will be no easy undertaking.