Play-caller
- Calls plays: Mike LaFleur (HC) — confirmed; LaFleur said at his introductory presser he will call plays, and OC Nathaniel Hackett was hired explicitly as a non-calling assistant/plan-builder (Arizona Sports "Will Mike LaFleur call Cardinals' plays?", Revenge of the Birds "Despite the Hackett hire, LaFleur will call plays", NFL.com Hackett feature — Feb 2026).
- Tenure with team: Year 1 (hired Jan/Feb 2026) · Prior relationship with QB1: none direct with Brissett; Kendrick Bourne overlap from SF (LaFleur SF pass-game coordinator era, per Revenge of the Birds 3/2026).
- First time calling plays since 2022 (Jets). Rams 2023–25 OC was non-calling (McVay calls plays) — excluded from the table per methodology §2, but note: he was inside the Rams' shift toward more multiple-TE personnel (CBS Sports, 2026-06-18).
Last 3 play-calling stops (skip non-calling years):
| Stop (team, yrs) | PROE | Neutral pass% | Sec/play (neutral) | Motion% | PA% | 11 / 12 / 21% | Condensed% | RB tgt share | WR1 TS | Inside-10 pass% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYJ 2021 (OC, called plays) | UNVERIFIED | UNVERIFIED (62.8% raw pass rate avg across 2021–22 — CBS Sports 2026-06-18) | UNVERIFIED ("league-average pace" — CBS Sports 2026-06-18) | UNVERIFIED (scheme = heavy pre-snap shifts/motion — JetsXFactor film 2021-02-16) | UNVERIFIED | UNVERIFIED (79% pass from 11 through Wk6 2021, 2nd-lowest run% from 11 — JetsXFactor 2021-10-22) | UNVERIFIED | 21.9% avg 2021–22 (CBS Sports 2026-06-18) | UNVERIFIED | UNVERIFIED |
| NYJ 2022 (OC, called plays) | UNVERIFIED | UNVERIFIED (62.8% raw avg, see above) | UNVERIFIED | UNVERIFIED | UNVERIFIED | UNVERIFIED (12-personnel spike late 2022 — JetsXFactor 2022-11-28) | UNVERIFIED | 21.9% avg; Breece Hall rookie 4.4 tgt/g, 16.4 PPR/g on 14.1 touches (CBS Sports 2026-06-18); TE Conklin 19.7% target rate (CBS Sports 2026-06-18) | UNVERIFIED | UNVERIFIED |
| — (no third calling stop; LAR 2023–25 non-calling) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Read: LaFleur is a Shanahan-tree caller — outside-zone run game married to motion-heavy West Coast timing concepts — whose Jets raw pass rates (62.8%) were roster/script-inflated, not identity. His signature fantasy tendency is heavy RB receiving usage (21.9% RB target share) and real TE volume; his Jets stops were criticized for predictability (run-heavy 1st down, pass-heavy from 11). With a No. 3-overall RB, a limited veteran QB, and the league's lowest win total, expect run-first *intent* partially drowned by negative script: elite RB+TE target shares, mid-tier WR volume. Year-1 install drag expected (methodology §9): slower pace and lower motion early. All Gannon/Petzing-era scheme roles are void.
Scheme family
- Run scheme: Wide/outside zone (Shanahan tree; JetsXFactor film 2021; CBS Sports 2026-06-18) — fits one-cut, lateral-burst backs: Jeremiyah Love (8.4 ypc, 21.4% explosive-rush rate at Notre Dame 2025 — CBS 6/18/26) is a clean fit; Allgeier fits zone; Conner shifts to short-yardage/gap situations.
- Pass-game family: Shanahan/McVay tree — motion, condensed sets, PA, YAC engine, intermediate in-breakers; healthy RB targets (21.9% at NYJ) and real TE volume; McVay-era comfort with multiple-TE looks. Implication: McBride (slot/YAC monster) and Love (satellite usage) are the scheme winners; WR3 (Bourne, slot) is gated by 12-personnel appetite; boundary deep aDOT profiles are capped by Brissett + RT concerns.
