The Arizona Cardinals are entering a new era under head coach Mike LaFleur, but so far, things have been relatively quiet on the staffing front. That’s not all that surprising, considering the team hasn’t even held an introductory press conference for LaFleur yet. Still, a few key pieces of the puzzle are beginning to take shape - and a few others are already confirmed to be moving on.
One of the first major decisions we know about: veteran defensive coordinator Gus Bradley won’t be part of LaFleur’s staff. That leaves a sizable vacancy on the defensive side of the ball, and it’ll be interesting to see which direction LaFleur goes to fill that role. Bradley brought years of experience and a distinct defensive identity, so whoever steps in will be tasked with helping shape a new-look Cardinals defense from the ground up.
On the special teams side, there’s some buzz around Michael Ghobrial as a potential hire. Ghobrial most recently served as the special teams coordinator for the New York Giants, who finished in the top 10 in 2025 according to SI’s special teams rankings. That’s a significant leap from where the Cardinals landed last season - 30th under Jeff Rodgers - and speaks to the kind of impact Ghobrial could bring if he does land the job.
There’s also a history here. Ghobrial and LaFleur overlapped on the New York Jets staff in 2021 and 2022.
During that stint, Ghobrial was the assistant special teams coordinator, while LaFleur was running the offense. Before his time in the NFL, Ghobrial held special teams coordinator roles at Hawaii and Washington State, showing a steady climb through the coaching ranks.
If this move comes together, Ghobrial could become the first official addition to LaFleur’s new-look staff - and potentially a key figure in helping the Cardinals turn around one of their most underperforming units.
Meanwhile, one name we can officially cross off the list is Drew Terrell. The former wide receivers coach is heading to Buffalo to take on the same role with the Bills. It’s a solid move for Terrell, who continues to rise through the coaching ranks, and we’ll see how his next chapter unfolds in upstate New York.
For now, the Cardinals’ coaching staff remains largely a mystery. But with LaFleur at the helm and names like Ghobrial in the mix, the pieces are beginning to fall into place - and the foundation of the next phase in Arizona football is starting to take shape.