LaFleur’s Cardinals debut against Shanahan links coaching past and present
Arizona’s new head coach meets the San Francisco coach he worked under for seven seasons, as their teams prepare for a Sunday game.
Mike LaFleur’s first game as Arizona Cardinals head coach against Kyle Shanahan’s San Francisco 49ers brings their working relationship into view. LaFleur spent seven seasons on Shanahan’s staffs in Cleveland, Atlanta and San Francisco, where he was pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach from 2017 to 2020.
The Cardinals visit the 49ers on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET, with the game scheduled to air on Fox. LaFleur has already opened his head-coaching tenure with a Week 1 win.
The matchup follows six meetings between the pair during LaFleur’s three seasons as the Rams’ offensive coordinator. LaFleur said he was looking forward to seeing Shanahan before the game, but expected the personal connection to give way once play began.
Shanahan praised LaFleur’s football judgement, saying he sees the game better than most. He also rated LaFleur alongside other former assistants who have become NFL head coaches.
The ESPN report describes a close professional circle among coaches who worked together on Shanahan’s staffs. Their shared history frames Sunday’s meeting, while the immediate test is LaFleur’s first head-coaching game against his former mentor.
