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Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur reacting in the middle of photo-ops.
The Arizona Cardinals have been busy filling out Mike LaFleur’s assistants. After hiring Matt Merritt and Nathaniel Hackett, the Cardinals are in the market for a quarterbacks coach.
Quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork recently left for the Baltimore Ravens, leaving a vacancy at the position.
Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports has linked former quarterback Matt Schaub as being among the possibilities for the vacancy.
Thus far, the Cardinals have also shown interest in Kansas City Chiefs assistant QB coach Dan Williams and Falcons offensive assistant K.J. Black as well.
Schaub would certainly be an intriguing addition to this Cardinals coaching staff, given his NFL experience.
Would Schaub’s NFL Experience Translate to the Arizona Cardinals?
Schaub was a third-round pick in the 2004 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons. While he never got the chance to start in Atlanta, he got valuable experience on the bench.
In 2007, he was sent to the Houston Texans, where he was allowed to start.
While his first two seasons with Houston did not go as planned (19 interceptions in 22 games), he eventually would rise to stardom.
During the 2009 season, Schaub would throw for a league-high 4,770 yards, 29 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Leading his team to a 9-7 Â record, Schaub made his first Pro Bowl.
In 2010, he would throw for 4,370 yards, 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. While he was injured for a good portion of the 2011 season, he was still on pace for about 4,000 yards.
In 2012, he led his team to a 12-4 record, throwing for 4,008 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He would make his second and final Pro Bowl.
While his career as a starter would effectively end after the 2013 season, he would be the primary backup and mentor for several high-profile quarterbacks.
The Oakland Raiders would bring in Schaub as a backup for rookie quarterback Derek Carr in 2014. In 2015, Schaub would start two games in relief of the injured Joe Flacco.
He would come full circle back to Atlanta, where he would spend the final four seasons of his career. From 2016-2020, he would be the backup to Matt Ryan, who would win an MVP and the NFC Championship in 2016.
Schaun would eventually retire at the age of 39, taking a job as a football analyst with Atlanta. Now, Schaub wishes to continue his NFL career in the coaching department.
What Work Would Schaub Have Cut out for Him?
The Cardinals are going to need a reliable coach for LaFleur to rectify the quarterback situation in Arizona.
There is no current quarterback of the future on the roster, Kyler Murray could very well be on his way out, and Jacoby Brissett isn’t a long-term option.
Murray is coming off an effective benching for Brissett and many injuries, fueling trade rumors. Especially considering his expensive contract, Murray could be gone in the immediate future.
While Brissett started 12 games for Arizona in 2025, he is a free agent after the 2026 season, and shouldn’t be a viable starting option.
The Cardinals currently own the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL draft, but will likely not take a quarterback at that pick due to the overall weakness of this draft at the position outside of Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
A coach such as Schaub, who has recent playing experience, would help the Cardinals’ quarterback of the future.
As a first-year coach, whoever LaFleur brings into his offensive staff could very well make or break his Cardinals tenure. This means that the Cardinals must nail this coaching opening at the most important position in football.
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Matthew Singer Matthew Singer is a sports reporter covering MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2025, and has two years of experience covering local professional, collegiate and high school sports, including writing for Cronkite News and Arizona PBS. More about Matthew Singer
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