The Arizona Cardinals appear to be in the final stages of their search to replace Jonathan Gannon. As the Cardinals zero in on their next head coach, one finalist will remain with his former team. The Jacksonville Jaguars announced that they’ve retained defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile for 2026.
The Athletic‘s Dianna Russini reported Campanile was one of three leading candidates for the Cardinals’ head coach job. He got a second interview in Arizona, but likely didn’t get the job.
Over the weekend, the coaching search became clearer. Connor Hughes of SNYtv reported that Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur was the new frontrunner for the Cardinals job.
Cardinals’ Actions Show Mike LaFleur as Preferred Candidate
The Cardinals immediately zeroed in on LaFleur once he became available. Arizona brought him in for an overnight stay in Phoenix for his second interview. LaFleur dined with the team on the Monday following the Rams’ NFC Championship Game loss to the Seattle Seahawks before interviewing on Tuesday.
That, combined with the Campanile news, is an obvious sign the Cardinals want LaFleur as their next head coach. Nothing has been reported at the time of this writing, but a decision feels imminent.
It makes sense when considering the history of the Sean McVay coaching tree. LaFleur is set to become McVay’s fourth offensive coordinator to land a head coach position. Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic tweeted that the three previous coordinators are a combined 132-69-1 and have nine playoff appearances in 12 seasons.
-Matt LaFleur -Kevin O’Connell -Liam Coen -Mike LaFleur
The first three have gone 132-69-1 as head coaches with nine playoff apps in 12 years. The Cardinals have nine playoff apps in the Super Bowl era.
The Cardinals are hoping that LaFleur can continue that tradition in Arizona. Mackie notes the Cardinals have a total of nine playoff appearances since 1966.
Surprise Coaching Candidate?
While his name slipped under the radar, Russini reports that the Cardinals interviewed Ron Rivera. The former Panthers and Commanders head coach interviewed for Arizona’s open position, but hasn’t been reported as a serious candidate.
While it’s unlikely they’ll consider him as their next head coach, Rivera provides valuable experience. Should the Cardinals hire LaFleur, he’d be their sixth consecutive first-time head coach. It would help to have someone who’s been in his shoes before to guide him.
Rivera has built a team from rock bottom before. In his tenure with the Panthers, he guided a team picking No. 1 overall in his first year to a Super Bowl appearance in his fifth. That also included a quarterback change, as the Panthers turned to Cam Newton.
The Cardinals are in a similar situation entering the 2026 season. Arizona’s quarterback situation is less clear compared to the 2011 Panthers, which is a complicating factor. But it still doesn’t mean he couldn’t provide valuable insight for LaFleur to lean upon.
The other potential candidate is Raheem Morris. Like Rivera, Morris has coached two different teams in his career. While he doesn’t have the same success pedigree as Rivera, he is younger and has been a coach more recently. Either choice could prove to be beneficial for a first-time head coach.
Regardless of who the Cardinals’ next head coach and defensive coordinator are, the quarterback situation takes priority. Kyler Murray’s 2026 cap hit sits at $52.6 million, according to overthecap.com. How they address that issue will determine how the key first offseason goes for the next coach.
Latest Coaching News Adds Clarity to Cardinals Coaching Search