The Arizona Cardinals are looking to deliver an improved performance in the 2026 NFL season as the squad prepares for a joint practice with the Green Bay Packers. First-year head coach Mike LaFleur already has a specific plan in mind for when the team arrives.
LaFleur revealed a fun tradition he wants the Cardinals to take part in upon arriving at Packers camp, per Donnie Druin of On SI. “It’s a cool place. They got the bikes with the kids and stuff like that, and that’s for a cool cause for the locals. And so we’ll do that too, just like a lot of the other teams do when they joint [practice]. And then there’s a ton of fans there. I mean, it’s Green Bay. What else you gonna do?” LaFleur said.
The Cardinals have gone through three preseason games so far under LaFleur, who was not happy with the squad’s recent performance against the Dallas Cowboys. Now, he prepares to face his brother, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.
Igniting the matchup
Older brother Matt set things in motion on Monday by discussing players fighting for roster spots, noting that high stakes could lead to issues during joint practice.
Head Coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers coaches against the Denver Broncos.
Matt jokingly proposed a solution: if an issue arises, Packers players should tag him in while the Cardinals tag their head coach to “throw down” at the 50-yard line. Mike heard his brother’s comments two minutes before taking the microphone on Monday and offered his response.
Mike initially offered no comment on his brother’s challenge, but left the door open by adding, “We’ll see what happens.” When the joint practice was first announced months ago, the rookie head coach spoke about the excitement of facing his brother while confirming his competitive focus. “I love ya, but I’m going to kick your a**,” Mike said at the time.
The brothers have always maintained a close relationship centered on football, with their career paths frequently intersecting. Most notably, both served on the coaching staff for the Atlanta Falcons during the 2015-16 NFL season, where Matt served as quarterbacks coach and Mike worked as an offensive assistant.
