Cardinals To Interview Texans DBs Coach Dino Vasso For DC Job
The Cardinals submitted a request to interview Texans defensive backs coach Dino Vasso for their defensive coordinator vacancy, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Vasso, 38, has spent the last five years in Houston, starting as the cornerbacks coach in 2021 before moving into his current role in 2024. He has been instrumental in the development of the Texans’ starting secondary – safeties Jalen Pitre and Calen Bullock and cornerbacks Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter – who were all drafted during his tenure. In each of the last two years, Houston has ranked sixth against the pass and recorded 19 interceptions. Their two-season total of 38 picks leads the league.
Vasso began his NFL coaching career as an assistant with the Chiefs in 2013. He then served as the Eagles’ assistant secondary coach (2016-2019) and assistant defensive coordinator (2020), missing ex-Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon by a year. Instead, Jim Schwartz was Vasso’s defensive coordinator in Philadelphia, where he also worked with now-Texans DC Matt Burke for the first time.
The Cardinals have a slew of young defensive backs who could benefit from time under Vasso; among them are cornerbacks Will Johnson, Max Melton, and Denzel Burke and safeties Kitan Crawford and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson to Their linebacker and defensive line rooms are older and more proven, so hiring a coach with secondary expertise could get the most out of the entire defense.
With an offensive-minded head coach in Mike LaFleur, the Cardinals may want to find a DC who can install and call his own defense right away. At the same time, the current roster is nowhere near contention, so a first-time play-caller could be afforded more patience in Arizona relative to a more win-now situation.
The Cardinals’ other coordinator spot is already set with the surprising hire of Nathaniel Hackett. It was unclear at the time if Arizona was in compliance with the Rooney Rule, but they did interview Commanders quarterbacks coach D.J. Williams for the job, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Cardinals Request DC Interviews With Charlie Bullen, Aubrey Pleasant
The Cardinals made a rather surprising offensive coordinator hire Wednesday, changing Nathaniel Hackett‘s plans after he had previously committed to becoming the Dolphins’ quarterbacks coach. Arizona is now on the hunt for a DC.
Interview slips are going out, with NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport reporting Charlie Bullen and Aubrey Pleasant are under consideration for this job. Bullen finished last season as the Giants’ interim DC, while Pleasant is the Rams’ defensive pass-game coordinator. Bullen is a former Cardinals assistant, working in Arizona during Kliff Kingsbury‘s time as head coach.
[RELATED: NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]
Pleasant has been a regular on the DC interview circuit, and he worked with Mike LaFleur for the past three seasons. It is certainly not uncommon for new HCs to bring staffers with them from their previous teams, and Pleasant has extensive experience interviewing for DC posts.
Pleasant is a two-stint Rams assistant, serving as cornerbacks coach from 2017-20, DBs coach in 2023 and assistant HC/pass-game coordinator over the past two seasons. Sean McVay assistants regularly land promotions, as the LaFleur Cardinals hire showed most recently.
The Bears and Jaguars sent Pleasant interview slips last year. The Rams met with him about replacing Raheem Morris in 2024. The Saints and Vikings discussed their positions with him in 2022. Back in 2019, the Bengals began his time on the DC carousel with an interview. The Chargers discussed their DC position with Pleasant this year. None of these meetings has produced a hire, but with LaFleur working with the Sean McVay assistant previously, this could present the best path for upward mobility yet for the 13-season NFL staffer.
John Harbaugh is prepared to retain Bullen as outside linebackers coach, but the Giants cannot block a DC interview since it represents a promotion to the coordinator tier. The Cowboys interviewed Bullen for their defensive coordinator gig earlier this offseason.
Bullen, 41, was on all four Kingsbury Cardinals staffs. After a season as Arizona’s assistant linebackers coach in 2019, he climbed to ILBs coach during Vance Joseph‘s time as DC. Bullen was on the past two Giants staffs, mentoring Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter in that span. Burns posted a career-best 16.5 sacks in 2025, earning him his first All-Pro honor. Bullen also spent seven seasons in Miami, working under Joe Philbin, Dan Campbell and Adam Gase.
Mike LaFleur Will Call Cardinals’ Offense; Wink Martindale Among DC Candidates
The Cardinals were the second-to-last team to hire a new head coach this cycle, putting them behind the ball in the search for their coordinators.
With an offensive-minded head coach in Mike LaFleur, Arizona’s defensive coordinator hire will be crucial. LaFleur will call plays for the offense, per team reporter Darren Urban, but he will need to find someone he trusts to take up those duties on defense. The first-time head coach may also be looking to add some experience to his staff.
Former Ravens and Giants defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale could fit the bill. He is a “name to watch” in the Cardinals’ search for a defensive play-caller, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Martindale, 62, just finished a two-year stint as Michigan’s defensive coordinator. The Wolverines were not as dominant as they were under their last two defensive coordinators, Mike Macdonald and Jesse Minter, but they still ranked 19th and 29th in points in 2024 and 2025, respectively. But in Martindale’s previous three seasons as a DC – two with the Giants and his last year with the Ravens – his unit ranked no better than 17th in points allowed and 25th in total defense. However, in Martindale’s first three years as Baltimore’s DC, the Ravens boasted a top-three scoring defense.
Martindale’s blitz-heavy scheme could benefit a Cardinals defense that registered just 30 sacks in 2025, tied for the third-fewest in the NFL. He would also bring four decades of experience on the defensive side of the ball and connections to plenty of assistant coaches around the league who can fill out his staff.
Bears Request OC Interview With Connor Senger; Troy Walters Declines Interview
Now in the market for an offensive coordinator to replace the departed Declan Doyle, the Bears have requested an interview with Cardinals passing game coordinator Connor Senger, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. The Bears also requested an interview with Bengals wide receivers coach Troy Walters, but he declined, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.
It’s unclear why Walters turned down the Bears, but it may have something to do with the fact that their offensive coordinator doesn’t call plays. Head coach Ben Johnson handles those duties. The allure of calling plays led the 29-year-old Doyle to exit Chicago for Baltimore last week.
Senger, 30, is coming off his fourth season in Arizona and first in his current role, but his future is uncertain in the wake of a head coaching change. New head coach Mike LaFleur, who’s taking over for Jonathan Gannon, may elect to go in another direction.
Even if LaFleur wants to keep Senger, it’s possible he’ll take a different job elsewhere. Before the Bears showed interest in Senger, the Bills and Packers requested to interview him for their open quarterbacks coach positions.
A former Wisconsin and Wisconsin-Oshkosh QB, Senger began in the NFL as a coaching fellow in 2022 and has steadily risen through the ranks. He was an offensive quality control coach in 2023 and an assistant QBs coach in 2024.
Under Senger’s guidance this past season, the Cardinals finished seventh in the league in passing despite backup signal-caller Jacoby Brissett starting for the injured Kyler Murray in 12 of 17 games. Their QBs combined for 29 touchdowns against 11 interceptions and ranked a respectable 13th in traditional passer rating (92.5).
While Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. didn’t progress as hoped in his second season, third-year wideout Michael Wilson broke through during a 78-catch, 1,006-yard, seven-touchdown campaign. Meanwhile, with 126 grabs, 1,239 yards and 11 scores, Trey McBride was the most prolific tight end in the game. Only superstar Rams receiver Puka Nacua (129) amassed more catches than McBride.
In heading to Chicago for a promotion, Senger would join a reigning division champion that boasted a top-10 offense in 2025. Unlike the Cardinals, the Bears are set at quarterback with Caleb Williams. They also have an enviable group of weapons consisting of running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, receivers Rome Odunze, Luther Burden and D.J. Moore, and tight ends Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet.
Titans, Cardinals Eyeing Gus Bradley For Defensive Coordinator
Less than two weeks ago, it appeared 49ers assistant head coach Gus Bradley was poised to replace the departed Robert Saleh as the team’s defensive coordinator. While Kyle Shanahan called Bradley an “obvious” candidate for the position in late January, the head coach hired Raheem Morris to run the 49ers’ defense on Sunday.
Bradley is still on the 49ers’ staff, but other defensive coordinator jobs are on the table for the 59-year-old. Both the Titans and Cardinals are interested in Bradley, Albert Breer of SI.com reports. Landing with either team would give Bradley a fifth chance to serve as an NFL defensive coordinator.
Bradley previously led defenses with the Seahawks (2009-12), Chargers (2017-20), Raiders (2021) and Colts (2022-24). He was particularly successful from 2011-12, the beginning of Seattle’s dominant “Legion of Boom” era, which convinced the Jaguars to hire him as their head coach.
The Bradley era couldn’t have gone much worse for Jacksonville. The Jags gave Bradley nearly four full seasons, but after he managed just 14 wins in 62 games, the team pulled the plug in December 2016.
Bradley’s Jaguars tenure produced disastrous results, though he garnered more working experience with Saleh after the two coached on the same staff in Seattle from 2011-12. They reunited in San Francisco this past season, but Saleh left last month to become the Titans’ head coach. There’s now a chance Bradley and Saleh will work together with a fourth different franchise in 2026.
Although Bradley’s relationship with Saleh is a plus, the latter will call the defensive plays in Tennessee. Conversely, Bradley would work as the Cardinals’ play-caller, and that could tip the scales in their favor, according to Breer. Bradley and just-hired Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur have no previous experience together. Nevertheless, bringing in Bradley would give the offensive-minded, first-time head coach a grizzled complement on the other side of the ball.
Despite the presence of a defensive-minded head coach in Jonathan Gannon, LaFleur’s predecessor, the Cardinals ranked a subpar 27th in yards allowed and 28th in points surrendered in 2025. The Titans, 21st and 28th in those categories, endured similar struggles under defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson. Saleh is now eyeing Bradley to take over for the fired Wilson, but he’ll have to fend off the Cardinals for his services.
Cardinals Hire Mike LaFleur As HC
Once the news broke about Klint Kubiak’s agreement to join the Raiders after the Super Bowl, one head coaching vacancy remained. That has not proven to be the case for very long. 
The Cardinals are working to hire Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur as their new head coach, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. No deal has been finalized at this point, Schefter adds. The sides are nevertheless working toward a five-year agreement. A team announcement has since been made confirming the news.
LaFleur has long loomed as a strong candidate for this position. He was among the staffers who conducted an in-person interview with Arizona, a team which saw several others withdraw from consideration. Upon learning of Kubiak’s decision, the Cardinals were left with a trio of finalists. According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, LaFleur, along with Raheem Morris and Anthony Weaver, were left waiting to hear from the team as of Sunday afternoon. The Cards have clearly gotten in touch with LaFleur in short order.
“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,” a statement from owner Michael Bidwill reads. “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.”
This will be LaFleur’s first opportunity to be a head coach at the college or NFL levels. He has thus become the latest member of the Sean McVay coaching tree to take charge of an NFL staff. The Cardinals had a HC with a defensive background for the past three years in the form of Jonathan Gannon. As Arizona hoped, his replacement will arrive with a track record of work on the offensive side of the ball.
LaFleur has spent the past three years as an offensive coordinator with the Rams. He did not call plays during that stretch, but he was the Jets’ playcaller in 2021 and ’22. The 38-year-old has also been an OC in college and a pass-game coordinator with the 49ers before. This hire will see him work for a third NFC West franchise. Coming off a year where the Cardinals were the division’s only team to fall short of the postseason, quick improvement on a number of fronts will be sought out.
Arizona won four games during Gannon’s first year in place alongside fellow 2023 hire Monti Ossenfort. That HC-GM combo oversaw an improvement to eight wins last year, something which suggested another step forward could be possible in 2025. Instead, an injury-riddled Cardinals team finished the campaign on a nine-game losing streak. That led to Gannon’s ‘Black Monday’ firing, with Ossenfort remaining in place.
The Cardinals have a number of staffing vacancies at the moment, and former offensive coordinator Drew Petzing is among the staffers who now need to be replaced. It will be interesting to see if LaFleur will call plays on offense upon taking over head coaching duties for the first time. In any event, his attention will turn toward building a staff.
For the Rams, meanwhile, the search for a new offensive coordinator will begin once again. McVay has tapped external candidates for the gig in previous years, but an obvious in-house candidate looms for 2026. Pass-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase was among the most popular staffers who did not receive a head coaching opportunity, and his stock has risen quickly in short order. It would come as little surprise if, after a search which satisfies the Rooney Rule, Scheelhaase wound up being promoted to OC.
The Cardinals’ QB situation is unsettled at the moment, with Kyler Murray uncertain to be retained. Sorting out his situation will be a top priority for LaFleur and Co as the offseason unfolds. Regardless of how the team proceeds on that front, Arizona will look for needed improvement on offense and a stronger showing defensively, something which could be sparked in large part by better injury luck.
LaFleur is now joined by his older brother Mike as an NFL head coach, although the two will not meet head-to-head during the 2026 regular season. With this hire now official, all 10 HC vacancies around the league have been filled.
Bills, Packers Request QBs Coach Interview with Cardinals’ Connor Senger
The Bills and Packers both requested to interview Cardinals passing game coordinator Connor Senger for their quarterbacks coach vacancies, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Senger, 30, has worked closely with Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray over the past four seasons. Senger arrived in Arizona in 2022 as a coaching fellow and moved up in each of the last three offseasons. He became a quality control coach in 2022, the assistant quarterbacks coach in 2024, and the pass game coordinator in 2025.
The Cardinals’ air attack has struggled for the most of Senger’s time in Arizona, though Murray has only played in 41 games in that span.
Before joining the Cardinals, Senger spent time with a number of college teams. In 2017, began his coaching career at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, a Division III program for whom he started at quarterback for the previous two seasons. He worked for two more D-III schools – Carroll and Wisconsin-Whitewater – before a two-year stint at North Dakota State, which preceded his entrance to the NFL.
The jobs in both Buffalo and Green Bay offer the appeal of working with clear face-of-the-franchise quarterbacks in Josh Allen and Jordan Love. The latter has not reached the same heights as the former, but both are under contract through at least 2028. Success as one of the two’s coach could lead to an offensive coordinator by then, if not sooner. To that point, Senger called plays at the East-West Shrine Bowl this week. While that is certainly not the same to a full-time coordinator gig, it shows that Senger is viewed by some as a potential future OC.
Bills To Hire Cardinals’ STC Jeff Rodgers
The Bills are expected to hire Cardinals special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers for the same job on Joe Brady’s new staff in Buffalo, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
Rodgers, 48, has spent the last eight seasons in Arizona with the added title of assistant head coach for the last seven. He previously served as the special teams coordinator for the Panthers (2010), Broncos (2011-2014), and Bears, (2015-2017). Before that, he worked as a special teams assistant for the 49ers (2003-2007) before his first coordinator gig with at Kansas State.
Rodgers will be replacing Chris Tabor, who was hired by the Bills last offseason after previously working for the Panthers. He overlapped with new head coach Joe Brady in Carolina, but the two will not continue working together in Buffalo. Tabor accepted an offer to be the Dolphins’ new special teams coordinator before Brady was officially name the Bills’ head coach.
Buffalo’s special teams unit received an 88.0 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in 2025. Running back Ray Davis received a first-team All-Pro nod as a returner after averaging 30.4 yards on his kick returns, the most in the league. Tabor helped keep the kicking and punting units afloat amid injuries to Matt Prater and Cameron Johnston.
Cowboys Nearing Zach Orr Hire
Zach Orr was not hired as the Cowboys‘ new defensive coordinator. He could nevertheless soon find himself on Dallas’ coaching staff. 
After two years as the defensive coordinator of the Ravens, Orr is a candidate to depart the team. Since head coach John Harbaugh was fired, he has received interest in other DC gigs. Orr interviewed with the Cowboys and Chargers for their respective openings.
Both teams ultimately went in a different direction, but Dallas remains interested. Orr is “in line” to join Brian Schottenheimer‘s staff, Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS reports. An “elevated” linebackers coach role is expected in this case, per Hill. Orr played as a middle linebacker and coached that position for two years in Baltimore prior to being promoted to defensive coordinator.
Orr’s unit did not meet expectations during the 2025 season in particular, but he could add value as a position coach. The 33-year-old worked with Schottenheimer in Jacksonville for one season (2021), and Hill notes he has a relationship with new Cowboys DC Christian Parker as well. A Dallas hire would represent a homecoming for Orr, a native of DeSoto, Texas.
The Cowboys struggled in a number of areas during their one season with Matt Eberflus leading their defense. Dallas ranked 23rd against the run in 2025, and improvements at the linebacker position will no doubt be targeted this offseason. Presuming a hire is worked out, Orr will be tasked with playing a key role in Dallas’ efforts to rebound at the second level. A departure would also confirm Baltimore’s need for a new DC under first-time head coach Jesse Minter.
Meanwhile, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reports the Cowboys are expected to hire Ryan Smith. Smith spent the past three years coaching the Cardinals’ cornerbacks. He has previously done so at the collegiate level, so a similar title with Dallas would come as no surprise.
Cardinals Expected To Conduct Second HC Interview With Klint Kubiak
The NFL is down to two head coaching vacancies. Both may remain unfilled until Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has the chance to conduct a follow-up interview in each case. 
Kubiak is scheduled to meet with the Raiders for a second time on Saturday. The same will likely be true of the Cardinals. Arizona is expected to arrange an in-person Kubiak meeting, ESPN’s Peter Schrager reports. According to colleague Jeremy Fowler, both interviews are expected to take place on Saturday. Dianna Russini of The Athletic adds candidates for each position have been informed at least one more interview with another target will be taking place, a likely reference to Kubiak.
Per Fowler, Kubiak is currently believed by some to be the leading candidate regarding the searches in Arizona and Las Vegas. The Raiders have seen a pair of candidates withdraw from their search as it has unfolded. The team spoke with the likes of Joe Brady, Jeff Hafley, Jesse Minter and Brian Daboll, but they have each taken jobs elsewhere around the NFL.
That leaves Kubiak as a name to watch closely. Since he already met virtually with both the Cardinals and Raiders, he is free to conduct a follow-up before the Super Bowl. Arizona has been linked to a longer list of finalists than Vegas, with a Ron Rivera interview taking place on Tuesday. A number of experienced staffers such as Rivera and Vance Joseph have been linked to the opening.
In recent days, Mike LaFleur has been named as the frontrunner for the Cardinals’ HC gig. With the Rams’ season having ended, he is free to accept an offer at any time. Arizona will at least speak with Kubiak before making a decision, though. Like the Raiders, the Cardinals are aiming to rebound from a three-win season. Their HC hire will of course be key in shaping the franchise’s direction over the coming years.
Kubiak, 38, has been an NFL staffer all but one year dating back to 2013. A Vikings and Broncos staffer multiple times, he has held important roles in both organizations (including offensive coordinator with Minnesota). Following a one-year stint with the 49ers, Kubiak guided the Saints’ offense in 2024. Sweeping changes in New Orleans led him to Seattle last year, and things have certainly gone well this season. Sam Darnold‘s first Seahawks campaign has been highly successful to say the least, something which has helped Kubiak’s stock continue to rise.
The Seahawks’ Super Bowl preparation will continue today and tomorrow. In Kubiak’s case, though, that process will be paused on Saturday. No official hire will be possible until after the championship game, of course, but an agreement with either the Cardinals or Raiders could be worked out shortly.