9 dark horse candidates for the Commanders next head coach in 2024
By Jonathan Eig
Commanders could hire Mike LaFleur
- Offensive Coordinator | Los Angeles Rams
Looking for pedigree? Mike LaFleur has coached under both Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay. He is also the younger brother of Matt LaFleur, head coach of the Green Bay Packers.
Even though the 36-year-old doesn’t have direct ties to the Washington Commanders, he kind of does through osmosis. That makes him an intriguing head coaching candidate should Ron Rivera be removed from his duties at some stage.
LaFleur has been coaching offenses at the pro level for a decade. Despite never having an elite quarterback, he put together effective units for both the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Jets over the past five years.
McVay hired him as offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams this year. Despite having a banged-up roster, he has managed a top-10 offense thus far, which is no mean feat when one considers how much this team was expected to struggle before the campaign.
As with Kellen Moore, LaFleur will be a head coach shortly. I think he’d be an even better gamble than Moore in 2024, but there's just no telling for sure what the Commanders are thinking until it's confirmed one way or another.
It would be a surprise if LaFleur wasn't on the shortlist. This is also in keeping with Josh Harris' desire to get ahead of the game, to a certain extent.