Nick Rallis didn't know what his future held.
The defensive coordinator knew there was a chance, even with a change at head coach, he could stay with the Cardinals. He was under contract, and GM Monti Ossenfort let him know the team wanted him to at least talk with whomever the new head coach was going to be.
So as Rallis waited for his fate, he considered what had happened this past season to his defense – which struggled the second half of the season – and went through a "long process of reflection."
"I didn't know I was going to be here, but I was still looking at it through that lens," Rallis said Wednesday, in his first meeting with the media after officially being retained by new coach Mike LaFleur.
"Looking at it, 'How can I be better at my job?'"
Rallis had been a rising star in his job. LaFleur acknowledged Wednesday that, had you asked him at the end of 2024 if he would've thought Rallis might be available to be his defensive coordinator a year later, he'd have assumed no because Rallis wouldn't be available.
Circumstances changed drastically. But LaFleur's feelings about Rallis did not.
"(We had) honest and open dialogue and I like what I heard," LaFleur said. "This guy, he's a stud and his best days are totally in front of him."
Rallis and LaFleur matched up six times over the past three seasons as LaFleur worked as the Rams offensive coordinator. The two have talked about those six meetings extensively, learning what the other side was thinking each time they went up against the other.
While 2025 did not go well for the Cardinals – two lopsided losses – it was the 2024 season that stuck with LaFleur. The first game was a 41-10 Cardinals win, "one of the more embarrassing losses I've ever been a part of," LaFleur said. The second, the Rams escaped with a 13-9 win when Trey McBride couldn't haul in a pass in the end zone in the dying minutes.
In that game, LaFleur said, "we couldn't do anything."
Yet Rallis understands it's a what-have-you-done-lately league, and the Cardinals ended up 27th in yards allowed and 29th in points allowed. Boiling that down to one or two things is impossible – "There are a lot of variables" – but there was a reason Rallis wanted to reflect the way he did.
Specific change Rallis was not yet able to speak upon, but he said change year to year was inevitable.
The player development emphasized by Ossenfort? That happened to be what Rallis was working on Wednesday before his press conference. Already there are adjustments being made on the plan for both the classroom and the field, in the effort to bring along many of the young defensive players Ossenfort has drafted the past three seasons.
And while Rallis will always be close friends with former head coach Jonathan Gannon, he acknowledged having an offensive coach like LaFleur can benefit the Cardinals defense as well.
"Mike's knowledge of the offenses that exist in this division, and they are pretty prevalent around the league, getting his perspective on that and what gives those offenses issues, that is going to lead to a lot of growth for me," Rallis said.
LaFleur interviewed a number of other candidates for the defensive coordinator role. Rallis said he knew Ossenfort and LaFleur would be thorough in a search even if they wanted him back.
But Rallis delivered a message that LaFleur heard.
"There are a lot of learning lessons the back half of that year," LaFleur said. "I like what I heard and how we are going to improve from there, and he's too good of a coach and too smart to not to be able to improve."
Rallis was just happy that he will get a chance to come back and fix the things that went wrong in 2025.
"It means a lot," Rallis said. "Because I love the players and I know we can better than what we put on tape. I'm fortunate to get another shot at that."
The top images of Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker from the 2025 regular season
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 16 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 2 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Sep. 14, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 9 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025 in Arlington, TX.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 6 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025 in Indianapolis, IN.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3), Arizona Cardinals cornerback Garrett Williams (21), Arizona Cardinals cornerback Elijah Jones (28) and Arizona Cardinals cornerback Denzel Burke (29) during the Week 12 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 12 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 12 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 14 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 1 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Sep. 7, 2025 in New Orleans, LA.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 10 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025 in Seattle, WA.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 3 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025 in Santa Clara, CA.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 3 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025 in Santa Clara, CA.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 3 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025 in Santa Clara, CA.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 11 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 11 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 13 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025 in Tampa, FL.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 13 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025 in Tampa, FL.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 5 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 5 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 5 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Hjalte Froholdt (72), Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2), Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) and Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Calais Campbell (93) during the Week 5 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 18 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026 in Inglewood, CA.
Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 18 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026 in Inglewood, CA.
