Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur has been hired as the head coach for the Arizona Cardinals, the team announced Sunday.
“We had the opportunity to speak with an outstanding group of candidates during this very thorough process and gathered tremendous insight from each of them,” Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said in a statement. “At the end of that process, it was clear that Mike LaFleur possesses all the traits necessary to lead this team to success as its head coach. He is highly intelligent with an exceptionally sharp, creative football mind. Mike is also a dynamic and innovative leader and exactly the type of person we were looking for to guide our team as its head coach.”
LaFleur, 38, agreed to a five-year contract with the Cardinals. He joins Arizona after spending the past three seasons as OC for the Cardinals’ NFC West division rival Rams. He also previously served two seasons as OC for the New York Jets from 2021-22.
“I couldn’t be more fired up to become the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and am beyond grateful to (owner) Michael (Bidwill) and (GM) Monti (Ossenfort) for this opportunity,” LaFleur said. “Having competed against them in the NFC so many times in recent years, I know the type of talent and toughness the team has and cannot wait to get to Arizona to hit the ground running.”
Prior to his time with the Rams and Jets, LaFleur worked under San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan as the team’s passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach.
LaFleur also coached under Shanahan when he was offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons from 2015-16, and the Cleveland Browns in 2014, where LaFleur got his first NFL gig. He served as a coaching intern with the Browns before following Shanahan to Atlanta as an offensive assistant.
LaFleur’s older brother, Matt, is the head coach for the Green Bay Packers.