GLENDALE – The firing of Jonathan Gannon on Jan. 5th set the Arizona Cardinals standards for 2026. Owner Michael Bidwill claimed that the decision came down to wins and losses, and general manager Monti Ossenfort will lead the search to find a coach that was better suited to help the franchise win. After those opening statements, Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur immediately emerged.
Despite the four-week delay, LaFleur earned the job after a tedious interview process. Ossenfort claimed that the search would be extensive, and Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro proved him right by explaining the details of the job hunt.
Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort speaks about Walter Nolen during a news conference inside the Arizona Cardinals training facility on April 24, 2025, in Tempe.
Gambadoro on full Cardinals coaching search:
“The Cardinals called Mike LaFleur this morning to make the offer and he accepted immediately. Arizona had 6 in person interviews for this job with four of those having zoom meetings first. Another 10 candidates were interviewed via zoom only.”
Jul 23, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur during training camp at Loyola Marymount University. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The known in-person interviews were Anthony Campanile, Anthony Weaver, Klint Kubiak and LaFleur. The indecision forced Campanile and Weaver to return to their former team, while Ossenfort and his team was left of a decision with Kubiak or LaFleur. The new Cardinals head coach met with the team for a two-day interview in the Valley.
After the completion of the interview, which went stellar, LaFleur made it clear he had one more interview in the process, according to Gambadoro. When the 38-year-old wasn’t hired, many were confused by the hesitation, but Gambadoro’s reporting makes more sense.
May 28, 2025; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur watches during organized team activities at Rams Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The franchise was able to interview Kubiak in-person, while LaFleur finished another undisclosed interview. When the Las Vegas Raiders agreed to a deal with Kubiak for the head coaching position, Arizona and LaFleur quickly struck a deal on the same day.
Will new Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur be the team’s play caller in 2026?
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
