There are an astounding 10 NFL head coach openings this cycle, and the Green Bay Packers aren’t one of them.
Even after the disastrous playoff loss in Chicago, Matt LaFleur’s job was never in true danger. Both sides wanted an extension in place before LaFleur entered a lame-duck season.
While the team hasn’t officially reported anything, multiple sources confirm that the Packers are running it back, with extensions in play for LaFleur, general manager Brian Gutekunst, and director of football Russ Ball.
It might not make some fans happy — the negative discourse around LaFleur has never been louder — but for new CEO Ed Policy, retaining LaFleur was a top priority.
Even while other teams moved on from long-tenured coaches to seek a fresh start, Green Bay doesn’t want to risk losing momentum during this particular Super Bowl window. While there are legitimate concerns for sticking with LaFleur, with the way the Packers have built their roster, keeping the band together is a logical move for a team with true postseason hopes.
It’s hard to deny Matt LaFleur has been, in his predecessor Mike McCarthy’s words, a highly successful head coach. Through seven years, LaFleur is 76-40-1, with six playoff appearances, including two NFC Championship Game appearances. His .654 winning percentage is 16th all-time, ahead of many great coaches. Other teams would commit crimes for this level of stability.
But LaFleur hasn’t won a Super Bowl, and that will always be priority No. 1 in the city called Titletown. LaFleur got close with Aaron Rodgers and led an amazingly quick turnaround with a new roster and quarterback. But after three years in a row of entering the playoffs as the newly created seventh seed and winning just one playoff game with Jordan Love, it’s absolutely fair to ask whether or not the Packers reached their plateau under LaFleur.
Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh, the two longest-tenured head coaches before they got fired this offseason, are no longer with their teams after a few lackluster postseasons, and both had prior Super Bowl wins. The Bills fired Sean McDermott, another successful head coach who couldn’t get the job done. There was definitely a case for the Packers to do the same.
Pundits will claim keeping Matt LaFleur is a cowardly move that will lead to more “mediocrity,” but keeping LaFleur isn’t just a fear of the unknown.
Had the Packers fired LaFleur, he’d immediately become the top candidate for every open coaching position left, and maybe even a few that aren’t open. The rest of the league is much higher on LaFleur than the fanbase is, and what is considered mediocre by Packers fans would be a cause of sincere joy for fans of less successful teams.
Of course, we want Super Bowls more than moral victories. LaFleur is confirmed to be good, but can he get over that final hump?
His players think so, with Love, Micah Parsons, Tucker Kraft, and more all speaking out in favor of keeping LaFleur. Aaron Rodgers also praised him. When a coach loses the locker room, it’s time to move on. And nothing we’ve seen suggests that’s the case. The Packers want to fight for LaFleur and win a Super Bowl with him. That matters.
“I definitely think Matt should be the head coach. I’ve got a lot of love for Matt. I think he does a great job. That’s it,” Love said following the Bears game.
Matt LaFleur is also still splendid at the things he does well. This year alone, LaFleur kept the offense firing through losing an All-Pro-level weapon (Kraft) and with a constantly injured offensive line and receiving corps, plus he even cooked up a beautiful gameplan for his backup quarterback. Every single play isn’t a masterpiece, but LaFleur consistently runs one of the best offenses in the league.
Compare that to the recently fired McDermott, whose defense had been consistently underperforming. When the part of the game you’re supposed to be good at is suffering, it’s a good sign it’s time for a change. LaFleur isn’t there yet, though he can still make changes to improve Green Bay’s offense.
Finally, Green Bay is in a Super Bowl window. While premature, the Packers were a Super Bowl favorite after just a few games this season. Their quarterback has a hefty contract but is in his prime and still ascending, and the team made a blockbuster move by trading for one of the league’s best defensive players. As far as roster-building goes, this is the best version of the roster the Packers have had with Love under center.
Many coaches can make a quick turnaround and have their team compete. The Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, and Chicago Bears made powerful postseason pushes this year after being terrible the year before. The right coach can come in and lead the Packers to playoff glory immediately.
But the chances of hitting that right coach aren’t high. For every Ben Johnson or Liam Coen, there are legions of Freddie Kitchens ready to set your team back. The Packers need to win with Love and Parsons, and a new coach facing a steep learning curve or potentially being made could kill that chance.
LaFleur needs to make some tough decisions to figure out how to get his team to the Big One. He’s facing a probable defensive coordinator opening, he could use a more experienced offensive staff, and his special teams are a travesty.
But giving him another shot with the quarterback he developed and a healthy roster is the best shot to get this version of the Packers to the Super Bowl.
Winning the Super Bowl is incredibly difficult. Some teams still haven’t gotten close. Green Bay’s roster has goals, but it’s truly one of the few teams with legitimate Super Bowl hopes. Matt LaFleur’s seventh season ended on a highly disappointing note, and the cognitive dissonance of extending him after the latest postseason heartbreak doesn’t feel great. But it’s worth giving him another shot with the roster he galvanized in his defense. If the results don’t improve in this small window, however, it’s time for another conversation.
