Coveted Offensive Coach Returning to Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals move into the 2026 season with their pass game specialist.

Arizona Cardinals new head coach Mike LaFleur at a news conference on Feb. 3, 2026, at Arizona Cardinals training center in Tempe. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals move into the 2026 season with new head coach Mike LaFleur in charge — though a few familiar faces will be back in the desert.

We previously discovered defensive coordinator Nick Rallis would be retained by LaFleur, and now so too will passing game specialist Connor Senger according to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz:

"The Cardinals are set to retain pass game specialist Connor Senger, sources tell CBS Sports. Senger, considered a big rising star in the coaching space, interviewed for multiple offensive coordinator jobs this cycle and impressed during his recent OC interview with Seattle."

The #Cardinals are set to retain pass game specialist Connor Senger, sources tell @CBSSports.

Senger, considered a big rising star in the coaching space, interviewed for multiple offensive coordinator jobs this cycle and impressed during his recent OC interview with Seattle. pic.twitter.com/hesqN8kuye

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) February 15, 2026

More on Senger

Senger had been with Arizona since 2022, initially being onboarded as part of the Bill Bidwill Coaching Fellowship. After the Cardinals fired Kliff Kingsbury, Senger was retained by Jonathan Gannon as an offensive quality control coach. In 2024, he was promoted to assistant quarterbacks coach before taking another step as a pass game specialist this past season.

Senger interviewed for offensive coordinator positions with the Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears this offseason. He took three more QB coach interviews with the Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills as well.

It's clear this was a win for the Cardinals, as Senger (just 30-years-old) was retained under LaFleur's staff.

While LaFleur will surely have his hand heavily involved in calling plays and installing his offense, Senger should be a sound voice/mind for LaFleur thanks to his prior experience with Arizona's offensive personnel and having experience game-planning with the likes of Trey McBride, Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. among others.

Arizona finished with a 3-14 record this past season, which prompted the firing of head coach Jonathan Gannon while offensive coordinator Drew Petzing saw his contract run out and wasn't renewed.

The Cardinals led the NFL in passing attempts per game last season, though several different factors including a change at quarterback from Kyler Murray to Jacoby Brissett and other injuries within the offense that forced Petzing to adapt his play-calling.

Senger played a hand in seeing Arizona register two 1,000-yard receivers in Wilson/McBride. With the future uncertain at the quarterback position, we'll see how the Cardinals move into 2026 in terms of stylistic approach and game-planning.

There's excitement for what LaFleur ultimately brings to the table as a young/innovative play-caller, and Senger should be a nice puzzle piece within his coaching staff moving forward.