Midseason Report Card: Grading Cardinals Coaches Through First Half of 2026

ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals are halfway through the 2026 season, and quite frankly, have surpassed expectations already.

With a 3-6 record, that doesn't exactly roll off the tongue right — though the Cardinals have already reached their projected win total. Signs of a promising future haven't exactly been bountiful, though they've been spotted nonetheless.

Before the second half of the regular season gets underway, let's grade the Cardinals' three top coaches:

Defensive Coordinator Nick Rallis: C-

Arizona Cardinals DC Nick Rallis — Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Nick Rallis walks the field during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Aug 2, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

This was perhaps the toughest evaluation.

On one hand, the Cardinals' defense has picked up their play in recent weeks. Rallis has recently found his old (and arguably more successful) calling card in aggressive play-calling and creative sim-pressures. That's led to a fairly drastic step up in production as of late, a positive sign for a coordinator who was very much on the hot seat early this season.

However, when taking a step back and evaluating the entire year's performance thus far, it's incredibly hard to forget just how bad Arizona's defense was. Despite the drastic increase in play, the Cardinals have still allowed 30+ points in all but three games this season.

Numbers aren't everything, though Arizona still ranks near the bottom of the league in several different categories — both standard and advanced analytics.

Right now, it's tough to say Rallis is in jeopardy of losing his job. However, that could easily change with a bad performance or two.

Not quite passing, not quite failing. Rallis' recent performances still give hope for a turnaround, but this feels like a very favorable grade.

Special Teams Coordinator Michael Ghobrial: B-

Sep 27, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Special teams is a bit tougher to evaluate, though the third (and often forgotten about) phase of the game can easily help win or lose games.

New coordinator Michael Ghobrial has the Cardinals in the top third in the league in kickoff return yardage allowed (25.4). On his own return unit, they're tied for the most amount of kickoff returns for 20+ yards at 39.

Kickoffs have been fairly contained defensively while the Cardinals have made some nice returns on their own accord.

Punting, meanwhile, is dead last at 43.9 yards per punt. For a team that is tied for the third-most amount of punts, we've got plenty of sample size. As for their punt returns, their 7.9 yards per return is eighth-worst in the NFL.

Not exactly a glowing endorsement.

Field goals have been fairly strong for Arizona, as their only missed attempts have been from 50+ yards this season. They rank near the top of the league with their 90%+ conversion rate while they haven't had a field goal blocked – though Chad Ryland did miss an extra point in Dallas.

Ghobrial's done a fairly good job in his first season.

Head Coach Mike LaFleur: C+

Mike LaFleur, Arizona Cardinals head coach — Nov 8, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur during the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is an overall mixed evaluation between the offense and his management of the team as a first-year head coach.

It's hard to truly say how much of Arizona's 3-6 start rests on LaFleur's shoulders, as ultimately he shoulders the blame or carries the praise based off the team's overall results while numerous factors such as schedule, poor roster construction and injuries also are legitimate. The truth likely resides somewhere in the middle of those two schools of thought.

Offensively, the Cardinals have been less than desirable — to say the least. Subpar quarterback play and injuries practically everywhere have really weighed the unit down, though some of LaFleur's play-calling and situational decision-making has also been questionable.

However, we've seen glimpses of how strong the offense can be when all cylinders are firing, giving us a taste of the potential that made LaFleur a desirable coaching hire earlier this year. Regardless, the Cardinals' offense has been mostly underwhelming, and that falls first on LaFleur's headset.

His overall handling of what's been a brutal first season as a head coach has been impressive, however. It doesn't feel as if the Cardinals' locker room has given up while he's remained just as energetic and process-driven as the first week of the season.

That's not easy. Losing wears on you. But LaFleur is patient and knows that patience is needed if the Cardinals are going to get where they want.

LaFleur's grade feels like a tug-of-war between the reality of Arizona's 3-6 record and approaching the situation with nuance. LaFleur is by no means a bust or bad head coach. I'm still incredibly high on him and his future.

While that should improve over the coming months, we're grading his performance here and now — which isn't quite failing, though there's much room for improvement.

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