Michael Wilson Has Telling Message on How Cardinals Offense Has Changed

ARIZONA — Things are different for the Arizona Cardinals.

That's been the narrative for months under new head coach Mike LaFleur. LaFleur's potential as an offensive play-caller has already been on display thus far, as the Cardinals' offense looks night and day different.

Receivers are getting open. The rushing attack looks more explosive. Quarterbacks, at all levels, are thriving in terms of production and efficiency.

That's not just from fans, or media — you can take that from the players themselves.

"That was the most fun I've had playing football in a while," Cardinals receiver Michael Wilson said at halftime of Arizona's preseason game in Las Vegas.

It wasn't quite a jab at the old regime of head coach Jonathan Gannon and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, but more so a point of emphasis on how exciting LaFleur's offense is to be in.

That said, it's hard not to feel like LaFleur is an upgrade from both in terms of potential.

LaFleur hails from two top NFL coaches in Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. His brother, Matt LaFleur, is also the head coach of the Green Bay Packers.

Not a bad tree of guys to learn from.

"I think the guy's got tremendous energy, tremendous knowledge. He comes from a coaching family. The guy's born to be a football coach," Cardinals assistant general manager Dave Sears said of LaFleur.

"What was always impressive in the interview process and through this point is he's in total command of the room. You can talk to him about anything football related, whether that be scouting players to coaching offense, coaching defense, coaching special teams. He's got a grasp of all of it, and he's really natural in front of the team."

LaFleur was a massive swing at the plate during the hiring process. He's a first-time head coach while his two years of offensive play-calling experience with the New York Jets was forgettable.

But so far in the desert, so good. The Cardinals' offense looks largely improved through the early stages of 2026. Real football hasn't been played yet, though there's much to be excited about.

Wilson only added to that in a press conference over the weekend, saying the stark difference between the Cardinals' two attacks boils down to coaching.

“To me, what that comes down to — I think a lot of that is coaching,” Wilson told reporters.

“It’s players executing, but it’s also getting the right calls in and the way that Mike and the offensive staff is detailing things up in the pass game. Getting guys open. Getting guys advantageous one-on-ones. From there, the quarterback making the throws and receivers getting open, but a lot of that is scheme and putting players in a position to be successful.”

LaFleur's offense is a step in the right direction and a breath of fresh air all at the same time. Their players are already feeling it.

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