Mike LaFleur is the new head coach in Arizona, but he’s not new to life in the NFC West.
LaFleur spent the last three seasons as the offensive coordinator of the Rams, so he’s very familiar with what he’ll be up against as he takes over in Arizona. The Seahawks and Rams played in the NFC Championship Game while the 49ers got knocked out of the playoffs in the divisional round, which leaves the Cardinals as the division’s only team to fall short of the postseason.
Their 3-14 record left them well short of qualifying for the tournament and they’ve only qualified once in the last 10 seasons, but LaFleur said he is undaunted by the charge to turn things around in his first head coaching gig.
“If it were easy, it wouldn’t be worth it . . . Every year is a blank slate,” LaFleur said at a Tuesday press conference, via the team’s website. “I’m not worried about what our record was. The record last year, all that means is we have a higher draft pick. That’s all that really matters at that point. We have to go to work to build this roster. Even if we were flipped and it was 14-3, guess what? You go right back to work. I’m just concerned about building this staff and getting to work with these guys so that when the time does come, we’re putting our best foot forward to go win football games and hopefully update that back wall.”
The Patriots are in the Super Bowl a year after going 4-13, so it’s not impossible to imagine an NFL team taking a massive leap from one season to another. There are significant differences between the Patriots and the Cardinals, but Arizona is betting that LaFleur can at least start moving them where they want to go.
Over the weekend, former Cardinals and Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians disclosed that he’s due to have open heart surgery on Friday, February 6.
On Tuesday, Arians posted an update on Twitter.
“Recently on The Today Show, I mentioned I would be having open heart surgery and I just wanted to clarify and let everyone know the procedure I am having is a common one and is something my doctors and I have been monitoring for a number of years and they recommend I correct the issue now so l can be as good as new back on the golf course ASAP,” Arians said on Twitter. “I want to thank everyone for all the prayers and well-wishes.”
Arians has overcome several health challenges over the years. He seems to be ready to take this one in stride, and he’s anxious to get back to working on his swing.
It is expected that Kyler Murray has played his final game in Arizona.
The Cardinals are thought to be moving on from their quarterback after seven seasons and one playoff game. Murray played only five games in 2025.
New coach Mike LaFleur isn’t ready to address the quarterback position yet, though.
“We’ve got to go back and talk about all these decisions — quarterback, O-line, specialists,” LaFleur said, via Darren Urban of the team website. “Everything. It’s our job and for these players to build the best roster at each position. Those are conversations we will have, and I am looking forward in about 45 minutes getting after it.”
Murray spent much of the 2025 season on injured reserve with a foot injury. He missed nine games in 2023.
The Cardinals are 38-48-1 in his starts.
LaFleur said he has “touched base” with Murray since landing the job.
“I’ll say this, being in this division for seven years, it was never fun [to play Murray],” LaFleur said. “I have a lot of respect for him as a player. He was never a fun challenge to go against.”
Murray, Jacoby Brissett and Kedon Slovis are under contract with the team for 2026. Thus, the Cardinals’ starting quarterback for 2026 might not be on the roster.
Whoever the starter is, LaFleur will call the plays.
LaFleur did not call the plays the past three seasons as offensive coordinator of the Rams.
“I missed it,” said LaFleur, who was the play caller for two seasons with the Jets.
Declan Doyle’s move to the Ravens has left the Bears with an opening at offensive coordinator.
One candidate to fill it is Connor Senger. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that they have requested an interview with the Cardinals’ pass game specialist.
Senger joined the Cardinals as a coaching fellow in 2022 and took on his current role after working as a quality control coach and assistant quarterbacks coach.
Senger has drawn interest as a quarterbacks coach in recent days as teams put together their coaching staffs ahead of the 2026 season and he also served as the offensive coordinator for the East team in this year’s East-West Shrine Bowl. Senger called plays in that role, but Bears head coach Ben Johnson handles those duties in Chicago.
The Packers have made it official with Jonathan Gannon, naming the former Cardinals head coach their defensive coordinator on Monday.
“We are thrilled to add Jonathan Gannon to our coaching staff. He possesses tremendous experience as an NFL coordinator and head coach,” head coach Matt LaFleur said in a statement released by the team. “I am confident that he will be an outstanding addition to our organization, as well as a strong leader of our defense. We welcome Jonathan, his wife, Gina, and their three children, Rocco, Lola, and Angelo, to the Packers and the Green Bay community.”
Gannon, 43, joins the Packers after three seasons with the Cardinals. Arizona went 15-36 in Gannon’s tenure.
Before that, Gannon was the Eagles’ defensive coordinator from 2021-2022. He had served as the Colts’ defensive backs coach from 2018-2020.
Gannon replaces Jeff Hafley, who was hired as Dolphins head coach last month.
