What do NFL writers think of the Arizona Cardinals' hire of Mike LaFleur as head coach?
There are a wide variety of opinions surrounding the coaching hire for Arizona, with several sites giving LaFleur's hire very different grades.
Check out early reaction to the Cardinals' coach hire of the Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator, which was a polarizing hire, at least according to these reviews for Arizona.
Some NFL head coach grades like LaFleur's potential with the Cardinals, while others question his lack of play-calling experience.
Did the Cardinals make the right hire at head coach?
Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur walks on the field before a game against the Seattle Seahawks, Jan. 5, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif.
ESPN: B-
Ben Solak writes: "The Cardinals — the last team to fill its head-coaching vacancy — clearly did not get their preferred candidate, as they announced the hiring of LaFleur only minutes after it was reported that Klint Kubiak is expected to take the Raiders job. LaFleur is a chip off the old Kyle Shanahan block, having spent time as the 49ers' passing game coordinator under him before taking the offensive coordinator job with Robert Saleh and the Jets. LaFleur never got the plane off the ground with Zach Wilson in New York, and will now be in charge of another young quarterback's developmental arc, assuming Arizona moves off Murray and on to a new signal-caller. There's a solid ceiling here, as LaFleur is from a prolific coaching tree. But it's hard to get too excited about what feels like a very run-of-the-mill hire."
Fox Sports: D-
Ralph Vacchiano writes: "Did the Cardinals accidentally pick the wrong coordinator off of Sean McVay’s staff? The NFL world was buzzing at the start of this cycle about the potential for Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula to be the next great coach off the McVay tree. Instead, the 38-year-old LaFleur leapfrogged him. Maybe the Cardinals saw something others didn't in his two unremarkable years as the Jets offensive coordinator directing eventual draft bust Zach Wilson? Or maybe they just loved the Rams' offense so much they were willing to overlook the fact that McVay, not LaFleur, called the plays? None of that is to say LaFleur can’t be a good head coach. He spent seven years working for Kyle Shanahan in various stops and three years at the side of McVay, so some of their genius could have rubbed off. Still, it’s a curious choice, especially considering some of the candidates the Cardinals chose not to hire."
Yahoo Sports: C
Frank Schwab writes: "The Cardinals weren’t an attractive job and that seemed to show in a lackluster coaching search. There’s nothing wrong with taking a shot on LaFleur. He’s 38, with seasons as Kyle Shanahan’s passing game coordinator and Sean McVay’s offensive coordinator. Those are two excellent head coaches to learn under. Rams passing game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase seemed to be the hotter name in the cycle, but if you liked Scheelhaase because of his youth and McVay ties, that applies to LaFleur, too. The Cardinals don’t have a good roster, their quarterback situation is a mess and there’s very little track record of success. It’s a hard job. But LaFleur gets his chance to make it work."
Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur gives instructions before a preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, Aug. 9, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif.
Pro Football Network: B
Jacob Infante writes: "The reason for concern is that LaFleur is not only a first-time NFL head coach but also unproven as an offensive playcaller. McVay has handled offensive play-calling duties for much of his time as the Rams’ head coach, while LaFleur has managed the plays for just three games in his three seasons as their OC. LaFleur is a pretty big gamble given how unproven he is, but he comes from arguably the most influential coaching tree in the NFL right now. The success that Matt LaFleur and Kevin O’Connell have had as head coaches, despite sitting in similar roles as OCs without play-calling responsibilities, bodes well for Arizona’s new head coach."
Bleacher Report: A-
It writes: "LaFleur admittedly won't have the offensive firepower at his disposal in the desert that he did in Los Angeles—especially if the team moves on from quarterback Kyler Murray in the offseason. But it's at least possible that LaFleur's hiring signifies that Arizona may be willing to try one last reclamation project with Murray giving the financial implications of trading or replacing him. But in any event, the Redbirds got a proven offensive mind who is yet to turn 40 to try to turn the franchise's fortunes around. Given that Arizona was the last team to fill their coaching vacancy, it's just about the best-case scenario for the Cardinals."
CBS Sports: C
Tyler Sullivan writes: "One thing to note is that he obviously didn't call plays when working under either Shanahan or McVay, who handle that role themselves. The one time he did call the offense, it didn't go well because the Jets' quarterback situation was a disaster. We don't yet know whether LaFleur plans to call the plays in Arizona, but it's worth noting that the Cardinals' quarterback situation is very much up in the air with Kyler Murray seeming at least somewhat unlikely to be back. Is LaFleur capable of scheming a different quarterback into position to succeed? He couldn't do it in New York, but that doesn't necessarily mean he can't do it now, several years later and in a different role. We just don't know. What may be most interesting about LaFleur's situation is that the Rams' pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Nate Scheelhaase, was arguably an even hotter name on the market this cycle despite the fact that LaFleur was ahead of him on the depth chart. Scheelhaase ultimately didn't end up landing a top job and LaFleur did, though, so it'll be interesting to track where they each go from here."
