GLENDALE – One of the biggest questions about the hiring of new Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur was whether he would call the plays. In his three seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, that role went to head coach Sean McVay. LaFleur played a massive part in the team’s gameplan, but the play caller went to McVay.
However, LaFleur put that noise to bed and confirmed in Tuesday’s introductory press conference that he will be the play caller for Arizona.
Arizona Cardinals new head coach Mike LaFleur at a news conference on Feb. 3, 2026, at Arizona Cardinals training center in Tempe.
LaFleur on calling plays for Cardinals:
“I look forward to it a lot. I missed it. There’s something about calling plays, you’re just kind of in it. There’s a tone at which you talk to that quarterback as well, which I really believe that. What they’re hearing in that moment. It is so hard to play quarterback in this league. Obviously, he has the harder job as the quarterback, compared to the play caller, but you’re in it with him. It’s an aspect of football that I miss a lot.”
Arizona Cardinals new head coach Mike LaFleur at a news conference on Feb. 3, 2026, at Arizona Cardinals training center in Tempe. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-Arizona Republic
The last time LaFleur acted as a play caller was with the New York Jets from 2021-2022. In his two years in the role, New York were near the bottom in points scored. The Jets quarterback situation was in dire constraints, having Zach Wilson at the helm. However, after LaFleur left for Los Angeles, and New York hired someone new to the role to play call for Aaron Rodgers, the results were still the same.
General manager Monti Ossenfort chimed in and talked about how LaFleur explained his situation with the Jets and felt it wasn’t a deal breaker for the him or the franchise. The 38-year-old stated how much he missed calling plays and being in the ear of the quarterback, building that relationship. Being under the leadership of McVay has taught him plenty on what he needed to improve on heading into 2026.
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
