The Sean McVay coaching tree is among the sturdiest in the NFL. It just grew another big branch.
The Arizona Cardinals’ hiring of former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur marks the latest McVay disciple to lead a team.
And based on former McVay OCs, the Cardinals are hoping the tree bears fruit a fourth time.
No pressure.
McVay’s offensive coordinators have found a lot of success at the NFL level. With Liam Coen’s inclusion this past season, the three coordinators who have worked under McVay since he took the Rams over in 2017 have posted a combined 132-69-1 record as head coaches.
That includes five divisional titles and nine playoff appearances. Two of those berths resulted in conference championship appearances.
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Cardinals hire Rams OC Mike LaFleur as head coach
Oh yeah, they also did it from the jump, with each of the trio posting 13-win seasons in their first year on the job.
No pressure.
Coincidentally, it started with LaFleur’s brother.
After a season with McVay in 2017 and a year in Tennessee, Matt LaFleur took over as the Green Bay Packers’ head coach. He’s currently 76-40-1 in seven seasons on the job. That includes two trips to the NFC Championship game and making the postseason in all but one year.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, who worked for McVay from 2020-21, has strung together a 43-25 mark in four seasons with Minnesota. He’s made the playoffs twice.
Then there’s Coen, the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach who posted a 13-4 record on his way to a divisional title in his first year on the job. He worked for McVay in 2022.
Can Mike LaFleur keep up the standard?
It’s not impossible, but there is one key component that the trio had that LaFleur does not, a secure quarterback situation.
In Green Bay, Matt LaFleur has had a pair of franchise arms in Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love.
In Minnesota, O’Connell had Kirk Cousins before aiding in Sam Darnold’s comeback effort. The jury’s still out on QB J.J. McCarthy.
In Jacksonville, Coen inherited franchise signal caller Trevor Lawrence and turned him from question mark to an MVP finalist.
Arizona, meanwhile, appears headed for a split with its franchise signal caller Kyler Murray after seven years and just one playoff appearance. For both sides, a divorce feels like the best move forward.
And there doesn’t appear to be that long-term answer on the roster. Jacoby Brissett has one more year left on his current deal and is expected to serve as Arizona’s bridge option. He filled in admirably for Murray midseason and could very well be an extension candidate given what he can bring to both the field and locker room.
As for what’s on the other side of that bridge? It’s unclear and likely not coming in 2026 given this year’s NFL Draft prospects.
But while quarterback remains the biggest roster question mark for the Cardinals this offseason, it’s going to take more than improving signal-calling for Arizona to be competitive again. That’s not so much on LaFleur as it is on general manager Monti Ossenfort, but the head coach also has to work (and succeed) with what he’s given.
LaFleur getting his staff right is another huge piece to the puzzle in Arizona. Given his lack of experience at the helm, getting some veteran coordinators is key in helping navigate the ebbs and flows of the position. Outside of assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers, that was missing from Gannon’s tenure.
And he only has to do so being the final head coach hired this cycle.
No pressure.
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