The Arizona Cardinals coaching staff is beginning to take shape under new head coach Mike LaFleur. Early signs suggest Arizona may lean on familiarity to stabilize its offense. According to league sources, former AFC West head coach Nathaniel Hackett has emerged as a primary candidate for the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator vacancy. That’s an unexpected development given Hackett’s recent acceptance of the quarterbacks coach role with the Miami Dolphins under Jeff Hafley.
The interest in Hackett is less about optics and more about shared language. Hackett spent three productive seasons as offensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers from 2019 to 2021 under Matt LaFleur. That’s Mike’s older brother, of course. During that stretch, Aaron Rodgers captured back-to-back MVP awards. Green Bay also consistently ranked among the NFL’s most efficient offenses. For Mike, bringing in Hackett would mean pairing play-calling with a veteran coach fluent in the same Shanahan/McVay offensive principles Arizona plans to install.
The timing underscores how fluid the Cardinals’ rebuild remains after a brutal 2025 campaign. Arizona finished 3-14, a franchise-worst mark. They were derailed by health issues and instability following Kyler Murray’s season-ending foot injury. Owner Michael Bidwill reset the organization by dismissing Jonathan Gannon. They then turned to Mike as the final major hire of the 2026 coaching cycle.
Mike LaFleur, officially hired on a five-year deal, arrives from the Los Angeles Rams after coordinating the league’s top-scoring offense. He has already confirmed he will resume play-calling duties. Adding Hackett, however, would provide a seasoned counterweight. That’s particularly true as Arizona navigates questions at quarterback and attempts to modernize its scheme.
Nothing is finalized, of course. Hackett’s Dolphins certainly commitment complicates the picture. Still, the Cardinals’ interest signals a clear philosophy. They want to surround Mike with voices who already speak his football dialect.
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