Former Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Lands Assistant Coaching Job

Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Schaub has landed with the Arizona Cardinals as their new quarterbacks coach, according to a report from Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. Former Falcons offensive assistant coach Mike LaFleur, who was recently hired as head coach of the Cardinals, was on the staff when Schaub was in Atlanta during the 2016 season.

Schaub served as an offensive analyst for the Falcons during the 2023 season but signed on as a football analyst for the Virginia Cavaliers, his alma mater.

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The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback was drafted in the third round by the Falcons in 2004. He served as Michael Vick's backup for three seasons, starting two games. In those early years, he completed 52.2% of his passes for 1,033 yards, six touchdowns, and six interceptions.

Ahead of the 2007 season, the Falcons traded Schaub to the Houston Texans for second-round picks in both 2007 and 2008, plus a first-round pick swap, which exchanged the No. 10 pick for the No. 8 pick. He would proceed to start 88 games (46-42) over the next seven seasons, completing 64.6% of his passes for 23,221 yards, 124 touchdowns, and 78 interceptions.

Schaub led the NFL in passing yards for the 2009 season and set almost every major franchise passing record in his time in Houston. He would lead the Texans to two playoff appearances, where they would advance out of the Wild Card round in each season.

His days as a consistent starter would end after he was benched and suffered injuries in 2013, making just three starts over the remainder of his career. The Texans would trade Schaub the next offseason to the Oakland Raiders for a sixth-round pick, but he would lose the starting job to a rookie, Derek Carr.

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He lasted just one season with the Raiders before making stops with the Baltimore Ravens in 2015 and returning to Atlanta in 2016. The Falcons held onto him as a backup quarterback for Matt Ryan, where he would start one game in 2019.

Schaub retired after the 2020 season.

LaFleur coached the Falcons in 2015 and 2016, but would join Kyle Shanahan as the passing game coordinator in San Francisco before elevating to offensive coordinator with the New York Jets (2021-2022) and Los Angeles Rams (2023-25).