The Arizona Cardinals’ coaching search now has a distinctly divisional flair.
On Sunday, Jan. 11, the Cardinals, according to multiple reports, requested interviews with two new candidates: Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur and Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula.
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Their coaching search now includes four NFC West coordinators, with LaFleur and Shula joining 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
The Cardinals have requested interviews with every coordinator who calls plays in the division. Kyle Shanahan handles San Francisco’s offensive playcalling, while Mike Macdonald does the same for Seattle’s defense.
The other six coaches the Cardinals have requested interviews with are Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, Patriots pass-game coordinator Thomas Brown, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris and Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
Of their 10 candidates, the Cardinals have reportedly completed interviews with Joseph, Weaver, Kubiak and Nagy. They have not yet moved to a second interview with any candidate.
Dec 7, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.
For the most part, the Cardinals’ list of candidates is a balanced one. But their lean toward divisional options is noteworthy.
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The Cardinals play in the toughest division in the NFL. This season, their three NFC West opponents had a combined record of 38-13. It’s a daunting task for any potential head coach, who would be signing up for an immense challenge six times a year.
By mining the division for coaching talent, though, the Cardinals could acquire a head coach who already has familiarity with those opponents. LaFleur, for example, helped the Rams score 37 points against the Seahawks in Week 16. Shula helped the Rams limit Seattle to 19 points in Week 11.
Jul 23, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur during training camp at Loyola Marymount University. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Shula is seen as one of the league’s top upcoming defensive playcallers, though he has only served as a defensive coordinator two seasons. Prior to that, he was a positional coach with the Rams for seven years — experience that would likely enable him to poach an offensive coordinator from Sean McVay’s coaching tree. He is the grandson of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula.
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LaFleur also has notable family connections, as the older brother of Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.
He is not the primary playcaller for the Rams, although McVay does rely on his assistants for some aspects of playcalling. In his two seasons of experience as a primary playcaller — with the Jets in 2021 and 2022 — LaFleur oversaw a pair of bottom five offenses.
That lack of experience would make him an unusual head coach candidate, although he does have significant history inside the division. Prior to joining the Jets, he spent seven years working for Kyle Shanahan, in Cleveland, Atlanta and San Francisco.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cardinals add two rival assistants to head coach search