GLENDALE – After the Los Angeles Rams were eliminated by the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC championship, many believed the Arizona Cardinals coaching search was over. Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur was the heavy favorite throughout the process for the job. The 38-year-old comes from the Sean McVay coaching tree and has led Los Angeles to the best offense in the NFL last season.

However, Sunday night has passed, Monday has passed, and as Tuesday progress, LaFleur still isn’t Arizona’s head coach. Especially with fellow top candidate in Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile returning to his team, many thought the job race is over.

Jun 3, 2025; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur at press conference during organized team activities at Rams Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Cardinals still without a coach:

The Cardinals and LaFleur met in-person on Monday to have dinner, and have an interview on Tuesday for the head coaching job. With Campanile gone, and the Buffalo Bills hiring offensive coordinator Joe Brady to be their head coach, there isn’t a lot of options left for the franchise.

The only possible hiccup for the two sides is negotiation a deal. Despite not being hired by seven other teams, LaFleur is one of the best coordinators on the market and a young, offensive-minded coach that comes from a stellar system.

Aug 9, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams assistant coach Mike LaFleur and head coach Sean McVay congratulate wide receiver Brennan Presley (81) after a touchdown during the second half against the Dallas Cowboys at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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LaFleur has a stellar mind for the game, and he won’t come cheap, which might be a problem for ownership. For the past two decades, Arizona have had five head coaches that had zero head coaching experience. A reason for the trend being that hiring a coordinator with no experience is typically cheaper over a former head coach. However, LaFleur comes from a McVay system he was very close in and is a stellar choice to battle against other top coaches in the NFC West.

The Cardinals likely want LaFleur as their head coach, but it might take longer than people expected to iron out a deal.

Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, and exclusive content. SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports