{"id":861293,"date":"2026-04-08T17:25:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T17:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/861293\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T17:25:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T17:25:00","slug":"players-respond-to-mike-lafleur-first-day-of-offseason-activities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/861293\/","title":{"rendered":"Players Respond to Mike LaFleur First Day of Offseason Activities"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Mike\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Several Arizona Cardinals players have shared their thoughts on Mike LaFleur and his attempt to challenge them at the start of offseason activities.<\/p>\n

The Arizona Cardinals<\/a> are kicking off a new era with Mike LaFleur as the team\u2019s next head coach. He\u2019d quickly begin looking to put his stamp on the program on the first day of offseason activities on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

LaFleur didn\u2019t want to waste any time. He tried to establish right away that he is going to have a no-nonsense approach, which he tried to convey to the team.<\/p>\n

Arizona is coming off four-straight losing seasons, going back to 2021. That 2021 season was the Cardinals\u2019 only trip to the playoffs in the last 10 seasons. So, LaFleur is looking at a rebuild. Imprinting his own culture on the team is going to be a major step in changing Arizona\u2019s fortune.<\/p>\n

Arizona Cardinals Players Respond to Mike LaFleur\"Zaven<\/p>\n

GettyArizona Cardinals linebacker Zaven Collins<\/p>\n

It\u2019s early, but it appears that Mike LaFleur is doing a good job communicating his message. Linebacker Zaven Collins<\/a> shared on Tuesday, via the Arizona Republic, that it starts with communication.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, he\u2019s clear and correct and very to the point on how he wants things done and what he expects from us in the building, what he allows and what he doesn\u2019t allow,\u201d Zaven Collins said, via the Arizona Republic<\/a>. \u201cYou can kind of tell he\u2019s like a no B.S. guy. He\u2019s going to tell you what he wants, how he thinks and just be up front.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cardinals center Hjalte Froholdt<\/a> added to that, saying, \u201cIt was Day 1, but it was a good tone setter, we got some of the foundation down\u2026 I think he\u2019s been around and seen a lot of really good coaches so it\u2019s natural for him to go up there and speak from the heart. There\u2019s some scripting of course, some things he needs to go over, but there\u2019s also something natural you can see comes off the bat, off the rip, it\u2019s authentic. That\u2019s good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ultimately, the message from LaFleur is clear. Arizona needs to win.<\/p>\n

\u201cWin football games,\u201d Collins said of LaFleur\u2019s message, \u201cYeah, very clear. That\u2019s something we want to do this year for sure \u2014 for the Valley, for this organization, for all the guys that come into work every single day.\u201d<\/p>\n

League Sources Think the Cardinals Could be Tanking in 2026\"Arizona<\/p>\n

GettyArizona Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort.<\/p>\n

The message from Mike LaFleur to the Arizona Cardinals might be to win. Hopefully, that gets through because a recent report<\/a> from insider Jason La Canfora indicated that sources within the league are concerned that the Cardinals could be tanking in 2026 as part of a larger rebuild.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re tanking, bro,\u201d a general manager told La Canfora. \u201cThey aren\u2019t even hiding it.\u201d<\/p>\n

That general manager wasn\u2019t alone. An agent also agreed that the outlook is bleak in 2026 for Arizona, and that\u2019s because the Cardinals are already looking ahead to 2027.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all about 2027 for Arizona,\u201d the agent told La Canfora. \u201cIt\u2019s between them and the Jets<\/a>\u00a0(for the top pick). They want LaFleur to have his pick of anyone he wants.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nobody wants to be accused of tanking, and players aren\u2019t going to lose games on purpose. Still, looking at what Arizona has done so far, it\u2019s clear that LaFleur has a major rebuild on his hands.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tDan Morrison<\/a> After graduating from UMass in 2019, Dan Morrison quickly began a career in sports journalism and digital media. That has seen him work both as a contributing writer at several publications, as well as spending time on the National News Desk at On3. During that time, he has spent the majority of his time covering football, both at the college and NFL levels. Currently residing in Central Florida, his focus with Heavy is on the NFL. More about Dan Morrison<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tMore Heavy on AZ Cardinals\n\t\t<\/p>\n

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