The last remaining coaching vacancy in the NFL has been filled.
The Cardinals are hiring Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur as their next head coach, multiple reports said Sunday, and he’s inheriting a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2015 and has cracked the postseason tournament just once since that year.
LaFleur, 38, is the younger brother of Packers head coach Matt and was the Jets offensive coordinator under Robert Saleh in 2021 and ’22 before they parted ways.
Mike LaFleur (r.) with Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9). Getty Images
LaFleur just finished his third season under Sean McVay. The Rams led the NFL in yards per game (394.6) and points per game (30.5) during the 2025 season, with Matthew Stafford authoring a potential MVP campaign.
Arizona’s vacancy opened earlier this season when the Cardinals fired Jonathan Gannon after three losing seasons, including the latest — and the worst of his tenure — in 2025, when they went 3-14, but general manager Monti Ossenfort remained in his position and got a second chance to hire a head coach.
When Gannon arrived after a stint as Eagles defensive coordinator, the Cardinals already had their franchise quarterback in Kyler Murray.
They added Marvin Harrison Jr. in the first round of the 2024 draft, too, to pair with Trey McBride — one of the league’s top tight ends.
Monti Ossenfort addresses reporters during a Jan. 5 press conference. AP
But Gannon collected just a 15-36 record across his three seasons in Arizona., and everything boiled over during the most recent campaign — when the Cardinals were the worst team, by far, in an otherwise-competitive NFC West and dealt with plenty of injuries.
“When I look at just the totality of the circumstances, I wanted 17 games over the 18 weeks to make that decision,” Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said after firing Gannon, according to ESPN. “Monti and I wanted to give the benefit of those coaches and those players to see a whole body of work for the whole season. And at the end of last night when we had a chance to speak, and then again this morning after sleeping on it, we decided this was the best direction to go.”
The new Cardinals staff will need to answer pressing questions about the future of Murray, who has two years and a club option in 2028 remaining on his five-year, $230.5 million deal.
He only started five games in 2025, throwing for 962 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions.
Backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett started the other 12 games.