Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur of the Los Angeles Rams looks on before the game against the Chicago Bears in the NFC Divisional Playoffs at Soldier Field on January 18, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
PHOENIX - Weeks after firing Jonathan Gannon, the Arizona Cardinals have found their next head coach.
The Cardinals are hiring Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, the team announced on Feb. 1.
LaFleur spent the last three seasons with the Rams, who led the NFL in multiple offensive categories in 2025, including points per game, yards per game, passing yards per game, offensive touchdowns and passing touchdowns.
Michael Bidwill, Cardinals owner
What they're saying:
"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. 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."
Monti Ossenfort, Cardinals GM
"In his career, Mike has been around some of the best and brightest coaches in football and has been a key contributor to highly successful teams. He understands what winning football looks like and what it takes to achieve it. Mike is a strong communicator with a detail-oriented teaching style that has always gotten the best from his players and we are incredibly excited for him to bring that to the Cardinals."
Mike LaFleur
"I couldn't be more fired up to become the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and am beyond grateful to Michael (Bidwill) and Monti (Ossenfort) for this opportunity. 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."
The backstory:
Gannon was fired on Jan. 5 following a 3-14 season. Arizona's 14 losses are the most ever for the franchise in a single season. The Cardinals lost 14 of their final 15 games, finishing the season on a nine-game losing streak.
From a win-loss perspective, 2025 was the worst season for the Cardinals since they moved to Arizona in 1988.
Gannon was hired by Arizona in 2023 after spending two seasons in Philadelphia as the Eagles defensive coordinator. In three seasons as Cardinals head coach, Gannon posted a 15-36 record.
Gannon has since been hired by the Green Bay Packers as their new defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports.
The Source: Information for this story was gathered from a news release by the Arizona Cardinals and a previous FOX 10 report on Jan. 5, 2026.