Cardinals HC Mike LaFleur on Adding Jeremiyah Love to a Crowded RB Room

Mike LaFleur came back to The Rich Eisen Show after the draft to walk through one of the more talked-about second-round selections, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, and the head coach made it clear how locked in the Cardinals were on the player.

Rich asked the question every Arizona watcher wanted answered. Were the Cardinals genuinely waiting on the clock to see if a Godfather offer came in? Or were they just running out the eight minutes and taking Love no matter what?

LaFleur was honest. The team was on the same page throughout the building. The phone was always going to stay open initially. But the head coach was hoping nobody called.

"I really didn't care what the offer was," LaFleur said, "because of how I feel about the guy that we got."

Rich gave him the floor on Love, and LaFleur went past the talent and the production at Notre Dame to talk about the person. He described Love as a man. Confident but humble. A good Friday press conference that introduced him to the Arizona Cardinal world. LaFleur appreciated the player, but he appreciated the person more.

Rich confirmed the read from his side of the table. He had Love on the show live at the combine. Love sat down in the chair and asked, in the most disarmingly humble way, where he was supposed to look. At the camera or at Rich. And then, with a straight face, he told the room he wanted to be in the Hall of Fame. There was no bravado in it. It was just genuine.

"Felt the same thing, Mike," Rich said.

LaFleur agreed. Same kid. Confidence wrapped in humility. The culture at Notre Dame and the family that raised him both showing up in how he carries himself.

The practical question came next. Arizona's running back room is now stacked. James Conner just made a draft announcement on behalf of the Cardinals introducing Chase Bisontis. Tyler Allgeier signed expecting touches. Now Love joins the rotation. How does any of this work?

LaFleur's answer was the answer of a coach who has been here before.

"I'll never be upset with having too many good NFL players at a position," he said.

He took Rich back to 2019 in San Francisco. Four backs contributed that year. Some by injury, some by hot hand. Four NFL backs got real touches. The position is violent. The 17-game grind is what it is. He was not going to apologize for depth.

On how the touches actually shake out, LaFleur played it close. The Cardinals are weeks into installation. Phase two had just started. The offense is getting taught its foundations. He used last year in Los Angeles as the model. Nobody planned to be a 13 personnel team. It just organically happened, it worked, and they kept rolling. Arizona will figure out its identity on the field.

Rich closed with a curveball. Love had told the show in Indianapolis that he wanted to play special teams. LaFleur smiled at the gunner question. Probably not. But kick return? That door he refused to close. Massive plays. Never say never.