Cardinals hire Rams OC Mike LaFleur as head coach - ESPN

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals have hired Mike LaFleur as their new head coach with the Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator agreeing to a five-year contract, the team announced Sunday.

The Cardinals met with Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak on Saturday night but he is expected to become the Raiders' head coach after the Super Bowl, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter, so Arizona pivoted to another offensive coordinator in the NFC West.

«We had the opportunity to speak with an outstanding group of candidates during this very thorough process and gathered tremendous insight from each of them,» Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said in a statement. «At the end of that process, it was clear that Mike LaFleur possesses all the traits necessary to lead this team to success as its head coach. He is highly intelligent with an exceptionally sharp, creative football mind. Mike is also a dynamic and innovative leader and exactly the type of person we were looking for to guide our team as its head coach.»

Mike LaFleur was the fourth Rams offensive coordinator under Sean McVay. All four of those former OCs are currently NFL head coaches.

Arizona initially interviewed LaFleur virtually early in the cycle and then hosted him for a two-day interview, which included dinner with team executives, last Monday and Tuesday.

«I couldn't be more fired up to become the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and am beyond grateful to Michael and [general manager] Monti [Ossenfort] for this opportunity,» LaFleur said in a statement. «Having competed against them in the NFC so many times in recent years, I know the type of talent and toughness the team has and cannot wait to get to Arizona to hit the ground running.»

LaFleur,