Highlights
- The Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14 on Sept. 13, Mike LaFleur's first game as head coach.
- LaFleur is the first non-interim Cardinals head coach to win his debut since Don Coryell in 1973.
- Jacoby Brissett threw for 277 yards and one touchdown; kicker Chad Ryland made four field goals.
- Arizona won in Los Angeles for the first time since 2001, entering the game as 9.5-point underdogs.
The Arizona Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14 on Sunday in Mike LaFleur's head coaching debut, ending a 53-year streak in which every non-interim Cardinals head coach lost his first game.
LaFleur, 39, is the first Cardinals coach to win a debut since Don Coryell in 1973, according to reporting by the Winnipeg Free Press and Heavy. The streak had outlasted coaches including Ken Whisenhunt and Bruce Arians.
Arizona entered as 9.5-point underdogs, the largest spread in the NFL in Week 1, and trailed at no point during the game. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett finished with 277 yards and one touchdown. Kicker Chad Ryland converted four field goals, missing only a 54-yard attempt that hit the right upright. It was the Cardinals' first road win in Los Angeles against the Chargers since 2001.
LaFleur spent the three seasons before his hire as offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams. He took over an Arizona roster that moved on from former No. 1 pick Kyler Murray and finished 3-14 last season. The current roster features All-Pro tight end Trey McBride and rookie running back Jeremiyah Love, the No. 3 overall pick from Notre Dame.
Week 2 kicks off next Sunday.
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- azcardinals.com retrieved 13/09/2026 23:39
- winnipegfreepress.com retrieved 13/09/2026 23:39
- heavy.com retrieved 13/09/2026 23:39
- yourvalley.net retrieved 13/09/2026 23:39
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 13/09/2026 23:39. Every claim traces to a source.
