If you’re a Cardinals fan, you’ve earned your skepticism. Three coaches in five years. A 3-14 season. Another quarterback controversy. The franchise’s ability to disappoint has become almost artistic in its consistency. So when Arizona announced Mike LaFleur as their new head coach, the last team to fill a vacancy in the 2026 cycle, forgive the collective shrug from the fanbase.
But here’s the thing: this might actually be the right move.
LaFleur comes from legitimate coaching royalty. He’s spent years learning under Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, two of the most innovative offensive minds in football. His résumé includes time with the 49ers as passing game coordinator and three seasons as the Rams’ offensive coordinator, where Los Angeles led the league in total offense this past season. The Rams finished first in passing yards and seventh in rushing en route to the NFC Championship Game.
Sure, LaFleur’s stint calling plays for the Jets was forgettable—but he was working with Zach Wilson and a dysfunctional organization. In Los Angeles, even without calling plays himself, he helped shape an offense that Matthew Stafford credited for his MVP-caliber season. That experience matters.
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For years, the Cardinals have lurched between extremes. Kliff Kingsbury brought innovation without discipline. Jonathan Gannon brought defense without offensive firepower. LaFleur represents something the franchise desperately needs: a modern offensive system with proven roots.
He’s the fourth McVay offensive coordinator to become a head coach, joining his brother Matt LaFleur (Packers), Kevin O’Connell (Vikings), and Liam Coen (Jaguars)—all of whom have led their teams to the playoffs. That tree doesn’t produce accidents.
LaFleur inherits a mess: uncertainty at quarterback, the third overall pick in a draft with no franchise signal-caller, and a roster that went 0-6 in the NFC West. But he also inherits weapons like Marvin Harrison Jr., Trey McBride, and Michael Wilson—players who never came close to their potential under Gannon’s offense.
Will LaFleur work miracles in year one? Probably not. But for the first time in years, the Cardinals have hired someone with the coaching DNA, offensive system, and intellectual humility to actually build something sustainable.
After years of disappointment, that’s not nothing. It might even be hope.