The Cardinals have signed former Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur to a five-year deal as their new head coach. Jonathan Gannon was previously fired as the Cardinals’ head coach back on Jan. 5.
Cardinals expected to hire Rams OC Mike LaFleur as their new head coach. (via @rapsheet, @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/29ZdtKgPA2
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— NFL (@NFL) February 1, 2026
LaFleur has served as the Rams offensive coordinator for the past three season. He also served as the Jets offensive coordinator from 2021-2022. This will now be the sixth straight head coach hired by the Cardinals who does not have permanent NFL head coaching experience.
LaFleur will be taking over for a Cardinals team that finished 3-14 and now has the third overall pick in the upcoming draft. The Cardinals will also have to decide if they want to move on from quarterback Kyler Murray, who was placed on season-ending IR on Nov. 5.
The Cardinals offense has fallen off the last few years. The team finished 19th in total offense in 2025, compared to 11th in 2024. They also struggled heavily on the defensive side of the ball, finishing 27th.
LaFleur will also look to helping the Cardinals get their first winning season since 2021, where the team went 11-6. The team has also not won a playoff game since 2016.
