Feb. 1, 2026, 1:00 p.m. MT
The Arizona Cardinals will not have a pairing of Mike LaFleur and Raheem Morris as part of their coaching staff in 2026. While LaFleur is finalizing a five-year contract to be the Cardinals’ new head coach, Morris is taking another opportunity.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Morris is expected to be hired as the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, replacing Robert Saleh, who was hired to be the head coach of the Tennessee Titans.
Now, there was never any report that Morris might join LaFleur’s staff. That was something that fans and analysts dreamed up as an ideal pairing.
Morris rejoins the NFC West after two seasons as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. He was a finalist for the Cardinals’ head coaching job. Before going to the Falcons, Morris was the Rams‘ defensive coordinator from 2021-2023.
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