Cardinals Are Gambling Big — and They’d Better Be Right

The Arizona Cardinals are nearing the finish line, though they'd better hope they can cross it.

Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort talks to owner Michael Bidwill during the team's practice at State Farm Stadium on July 29, 2025. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Soon, we're expected to hear news emerge out of the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders' meetings with potential head coaching candidate and Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.

Kubiak, who can't agree to a deal or officially be hired until Feb. 9 (the day after the Super Bowl) due to NFL rules, is taking meetings with the final two organizations still needing to fill their respective vacancies.

The reporting surrounding both teams' pursuit of Kubiak couldn't feel more different. There's seemingly supreme confidence the Raiders are in the driver's seat to land Kubiak's services while Arizona is hoping their meeting with him isn't a waste of time.

And while there's conflicting reports around if he'll return to Seattle, most outside indications suggest Kubiak would choose a future with the Raiders or Seahawks compared to one with the Cardinals.

We'll quickly learn if that's true in assessment, but for Arizona's sake — they have to be extremely confident in their ability to pitch and land Kubiak.

Or it could cost them.

Cardinals' Pursuit of Klint Kubiak

Aug 25, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak pacing the sidelines against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

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The Cardinals' general interest and pursuit of Kubiak isn't lost in terms of logic or appreciation. While it's well established Arizona isn't a prime landing spot for top head coaches regardless of what cycle they're in, Kubiak felt like the perfect blend of offering upside along with success to back it up.

In what is shaping to be his first time becoming a head coach, Kubiak shares promise of carrying over massive offensive success from within football's toughest division: The NFC West. While there's nothing to prepare somebody for what first-time coaching duties entail, having success in a gauntlet of a division does stand for something.

The Cardinals showed interest in Kubiak from the start, and while top names in the 2026 cycle slowly vanished from the realm of possibility, Kubiak became more and more enticing. However, the Seahawks' postseason success prevented him from taking any in-person interviews until this past week, and teams were only allowed to do so if they previously met with him virtually.

Arizona did, but their circumstances are much different from when that first virtual interview occurred. Options aren't bountiful, and with the NFL combine just weeks away and free agency following shortly after, this search needs to wrap up sooner as opposed to later.

The supply and demand now rests within Kubiak's favor. By numerous accounts, the Cardinals would pull off quite the upset if they're able to land the Seahawks' play-caller. Davis Webb, the other top HC candidate for Vegas, pulled out of the race. The Raiders now appear ready to push their chips to the middle of the table for Kubiak.

At this point, Kubiak isn't expected in Arizona. Which typically would be fine, but by waiting until this weekend to meet with Kubiak, they're taking a massive gamble by potentially leaving the door open for their next top candidate to walk away — leaving them stranded and searching for options.

READ: Cardinals Unlikely to Make This Hire

Cardinals Playing Dangerous Game With Mike LaFleur

Aug 16, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur reacts against the Los Angeles Chargers in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur is one of the biggest question marks of this coaching cycle. After spending years under the league's brightest minds in Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, he's poised to become the next in a recent trend of young coaches that are innovators on the offensive side of the ball.

There's potential to follow in the footsteps of many Shanahan/McVay coaching tree members that have found success elsewhere, though some have pause regarding his prior play-calling experience with the New York Jets (which lasted just two seasons) while others are cautious in how much credit he deserves for his involvement with the Rams' offense.

I've been vocal from the early stages of Arizona's coaching search that LaFleur is the exact sort of home run swing the Cardinals need. The upside to become great and turn things around is large enough to warrant the risk.

The Cardinals themselves appeared to be on the same page, wasting absolutely no time and scheduling a two-day interview with LaFleur as soon as he was eliminated from postseason contention last weekend.

The timing of that, combined with fellow reported finalist Anthony Campanile officially heading back to the Jacksonville Jaguars, made Arizona's path to hiring their next head coach crystal clear.

However, LaFleur left Arizona without a deal, and their sights were set on Kubiak this coming weekend.

The gamble itself doesn't rest on Arizona's ability to net Kubiak, but rather the fallout that could come from swinging and missing.

Cardinals Gamble Simply Has to Pay Off

Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill and general manager Monti Ossenfort speak to the press from the Arizona Cardinals training center in Tempe after the decision to fire head coach Jonathan Gannon on Jan. 5, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cardinals failed to strike while the iron was hot with LaFleur, insisting they'd speak with a coaching candidate many are giving a snowball's chance in the desert to land with Arizona.

How does LaFleur feel about being pushed to the backseat after spending multiple days, in person, with Cardinals brass? That's not known, but some would feel put off by the move.

There's arguments that Arizona is one of 32 opportunities in the world to become an NFL head coach, and somebody like LaFleur can't just pass up the chance to join the exclusive club.

While very true, certain candidates in promising situations may not feel the need to jump into a position that could alter their reputation for the rest of their career if things go horribly south.

Case in point, LaFleur probably doesn't feel the need to accept a head coaching job with anybody — let alone with Arizona, an organization that's historically ranked near the bottom of coaching cycles due to various reasons.

The Cardinals, at this point, are more desperate for LaFleur's presence than vice versa.

So if LaFleur does somehow come to that realization and the two sides won't play ball, Arizona will have successfully missed on Kubiak, waited too long on LaFleur while also not having another strong finalist in Campanile — barring a Liam Coen/Jaguars situation that happens again.

That's Arizona's top three finalists gone in a talent pool that was already drastically dwindled from when they began their search back on Jan. 5.

The remains would see the likes of Raheem Morris, Anthony Weaver and Vance Joseph in the next tier. Morris is a retread fans don't want, Joseph is a familiar face fans especially don't want, and Weaver simply isn't a known or exciting commodity for a fan base that needs something to believe in at this point in time.

There's no perfect way to go about this, and perhaps hindsight is 20/20. Maybe in a few days things will have fallen into place as hoped and the Cardinals will be well on their way to turning the ship around.

But make no mistake about it: Arizona's gambling on their future at the moment.

Bidwill and Ossenfort have to be certain it will pay off.