Answering The Questions Around Matt LaFleur

It's fair to analyze a team's shortcomings when everything isn't perfect, but some of the criticisms around Matt LaFleur right now don't hold up. 

The Packers aren't undefeated, so naturally people want Matt LaFleur fired and are questioning his abilities.

Since we have some time over the bye week, I'm gonna debunk some of the nonsense floating around about Matt LaFleur.

This isn't a puff piece about why I love MLF and how he's a swell guy because "no one who writes about the Packers will say anything bad about him."

Nonsense.

I'm a Packers fan. I want the Packers to win. Period. This is an analysis of what Matt LaFleur has done. If he's not doing a good job, I don't want him coaching the team I love.

A lot of people seem to think he's not doing a good job. So let's start with the most common thing I've seen asked:

What does Matt LaFleur do well?

I can't believe how much this question gets asked, but I'm going to partially answer it here (because a full answer would take too long).

One thing he does really well is develop quarterbacks. You know, the most important position to a team in any sport in the world? An absolute prerequisite to winning at football in the modern era NFL? Look through his career in Atlanta, Washington, Los Angeles, and Tennessee.

Everywhere he went, quarterbacks had career years. When he came to Green Bay, it was no different.

He turned Aaron Rodgers's career around, transforming him from a washed up has-been to a back-to-back MVP. And when Rodgers left, LaFleur turned Jordan Love from a supposedly over-drafted prospect to one of the most effective quarterbacks in the league.

Oh, but those are just traits for a quarterbacks coach, you say?

Well, he's also a great game planner and play schemer. He can pencil whip the best DCs in the game and routinely puts his players in position to succeed.

Look at Jordan Love's first game as the full time starter. Playing a tough Bears defense, in a high stress game, LaFleur put Love in a position where he just had to hit open receivers all day. And he did, to the tune of 245 yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a 123.2 quarterback rating.

A couple weeks later, when the team was down 17 against New Orleans, he called a near flawless fourth quarter so his young team could march up and down the field and score at will to pull out a come from behind victory that not only mattered in the playoff standings at the end of the season, but gave this team a belief in themselves and their new quarterback that carried over through the rest of the season.

I shouldn't have to tell you what happened in the rest of the season when LaFleur designed gameplans that gave Jordan Love the ability to thrive. It was one of the most productive back halves to a season this franchise has ever seen.

The following year, he adapted his gameplanning around Love's injury, winning three games with Malik Willis (who the league valued as a throwaway bust barely worth a 7th rounder, and who is a completely different type of quarterback than Love, who the entire offense was built around).

For a true display of LaFleur's play calling prowess, look no further than their come from behind win against Jacksonville where LaFleur patiently called at least three plays to set up the Jayden Reed crosser in the waning moments that easily put the Packers in position for the game winning field goal. All this when the starting quarterback got hurt mid game and the offense had to adapt to the backup again.

Oh, but those are just traits for an Offensive Coordinator, you say?

He's also instilled a culture that his players love. You see it in how veteran free agents speak about the Green Bay Packers locker room and approach compared to the franchises they came from.

You hear it in their voice in the interview. These guys are bought into the vision and the culture. LaFleur has them focused and they don't experience the player drama that other teams do.

Oh, but none of that matters if they aren't winning, you say?

Well, he's also a proven winner. His .670 winning percentage is top five among active coaches, and his 67 wins in his first six season seasons is the second best mark in NFL history.

Oh, but he can't win big games, you say? 

He's won those, too.

And not just with Aaron Rodgers, who he took to back-to-back NFC Conference Championship games. 

In Jordan Love's first season as the Packers starter, he led them to 3 straight wins in must-win games to end the season. Then he went into Dallas and obliterated the one seed with brilliant game planning. 

That was impressive. There is no denying that playoff games are big games. He got Aaron Rodgers to win big games, and had the team fighting in close playoff games. His playoff losses were all a lot closer than his playoff wins. What he did with Jordan Love in the playoffs during his first season was nothing short of brilliance.

Has he lost some playoff games? Sure, everyone has. No one wins them all. Not even the Belichick-era Patriots won all their big games.

Oh, but they haven't won a Super Bowl, you say?

Most coaches haven't. Most coaches never do. That's a high bar, and most franchises would laugh at the notion that winning a Super Bowl determines if a coach is good or not.

Look at how the Packers lost those games. Late drives given up by the defense. Brutal disasters from special teams. Those are areas that Matt LaFleur doesn't control.

Oh, then he should fire his coordinators, you say?

That's a murky situation in Green Bay where decision rights on moves like that are a shared accountability, not the sole discretion of the head coach.

But it hasn't been stale. They've hired three defensive coordinators (Pettine, Barry, and Hafley) and three special teams coordinators (Mennenga, Drayton, and Bisaccia) during LaFleur's six seasons as head coach.

They aren't exactly sitting on their hands - that's a pretty high turnover rate. That's the action and accountability you want.

In terms of developing quarterbacks, designing an offense, calling a game suited to his players, winning games, advancing to the playoffs, and winning playoff games - all the things you want out of a head coach - Matt LaFleur has done more than most coaches in the league.

Don't knock a guy who's great just because he isn't perfect.

 

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Bruce Irons has played, coached, and studied football for decades. Best-selling author of books such as A Fan's Guide To Understanding The NFL Draft, A Fan's Guide To Understanding The NFL Salary Cap, and A Fan's Guide To NFL Free Agency Hits And Misses, Bruce contributes to CheeseHeadTV and PackersForTheWin.com.

Follow Bruce Irons on Twitter at @BruceIronsNFL.

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Comments (22)

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marpag1's picture

October 06, 2025 at 06:43 am

FIRE ANDY REID!!! The Chiefs have a worse record than the Packers! (Ditto to you, Sean McVay!)

FIRE SIRIANNI!!! The Eagles just lost a game they should have won! Team wasn't ready!

FIRE MCDERMOTT!!! The Bills just lost to the freakin' Patriots for sh!t's sake, and the Bills never win the Super Bowl anyway!

FIRE JOHN HARBAUGH!!! His miserable Ravens are 1-4! Loser!!

LOL. … cuz a lot of fans are dumb.

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Guam's picture

October 06, 2025 at 08:01 am

I take some issue with the author touting LaFleur's play calling ability. Yes, LaFleur has called some very good games but he has also called some stinkers. Periodically LaFleur forgets he has tight ends and running backs to throw to and persists in throwing deep even when Love is under pressure. LaFleur also can get stuck in his scripts and doesn't adjust to new wrinkles by a defense. His inability to adjust to in-game problems has been evident since year one of his tenure.

The author also glosses over hiring gaffes like Mennenga, Drayton, Barry and perhaps Bisaccia. LaFleur not only hired these coaches but kept them too long when failure was obvious. (BTW, I am not buying this "murky responsibility" crap - no organization is going to force a coach into hiring assistant coaches he doesn't want.)

LaFleur is a mixed bag with positives and negatives. The goal is to win a Super Bowl. Can LaFleur get the Packers there? I don't know. He hasn't yet and it is year seven. If it doesn't happen in the next two years, when will it?????

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marpag1's picture

October 06, 2025 at 08:47 am

"BTW, I am not buying this "murky responsibility" crap - no organization is going to force a coach into hiring assistant coaches he doesn't want."

I can't argue with you, Guam, but i will say this: It was Packers beat writer Tom Silverstein who, let's say, "strongly implied" that MLF was pressured and not totally free to choose his assistants, at least at the beginning. And no one can say that Tom doesn't have his ear pretty close to the ground when it comes to the Packers. Check out his article from from a few years back. That article included this quote: "Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine was not forced on LaFleur, but the new coach was strongly encouraged to keep him. When it came to other assistant coaches, LaFleur wasn’t the sole decision-maker, sources said."

https://eu.packersnews.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2019/05/09/silverste...

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LambeauPlain's picture

October 06, 2025 at 09:01 am

Define "pressure". The pressure was likely "you want to bring in Joe Barry now to replace Pettine? Really. Why? The guy has NEVER succeeded as a DC."

You truly believe assistant coaches were forced on LaFleur by Murphy? I have no doubt coaching candidates are discussed by the Football Committee...but please, if the HC had assistants being "forced" on him and he agreed, LaFleur is weaker than I thought.

(Silverstein was not in the room nor likely his "sources familiar with the matter.")

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marpag1's picture

October 06, 2025 at 09:05 am

Were YOU in the room?

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BuckyBadger's picture

October 06, 2025 at 09:35 am

Silverstein has been a good journalist for a long time. You can't just dismiss what he has to say. He does have sources close to the team, that is what true journalists do. To think otherwise is to dismiss pretty much his life work.

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Oppy's picture

October 06, 2025 at 07:24 pm

Yes, Murphy stuck his nose into many decisions that have historically been left to the GM in green bay, as well as those made by the HC.

That's not even up for debate.

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Guam's picture

October 06, 2025 at 09:20 am

I agree with you about Pettine. He was a popular holdover from the McCarthy regime and I suspect LaFleur was strongly "encouraged" by the FO to retain him. As a new hire and first time head coach, I understand why LaFleur would keep him. I do not believe that was the case with Mennenga, Drayton, Barry and Bisaccia (note that I did not include Pettine in my initial comment for that exact reason). The other four were LaFleur hires and his responsibility.

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LambeauPlain's picture

October 06, 2025 at 08:54 am

Bruce lost me when he glossed over losing back to back NFCCGs 5 and 6 years ago. (Since then they have one playoff win.)

He deflects accountability for LaFleur:

"They've hired three defensive coordinators (Pettine, Barry, and Hafley) and three special teams coordinators (Mennenga, Drayton, and Bisaccia) during LaFleur's six seasons as head coach. Those are areas that Matt LaFleur doesn't control."

There is problem! His timidity with personnel issues. Not fun, but necessary for a leader. All 6 were LaFleur hires. Every one. And so far he'd failed with 5 of them. But how convenient...Matt doesn't control those! He gets a pass on those decisions.

So he is primarily an OC with a HC title after all. That how I have viewed him for years.

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Guam's picture

October 06, 2025 at 11:05 am

Not sure I would count Pettine as a LaFleur hire, but the other five certainly are. As an executive in business organizations for much of my life, I know that we all make hiring mistakes. However three misses, a question mark and one home run is not a good track record. Just as importantly is to recognize when you made a mistake and take corrective action. LaFleur is very slow to correct his hiring errors which just compounds the original error.

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MooPack's picture

October 06, 2025 at 08:36 am

There have been 35 head coaches that won a Super Bowl since it debuted on Jan. 15, 1967. Just four of those coaches won Super Bowls after their 7th season with that organization.

John Madden - 8th season.
Hank Stram - 10th season.
Tom Landry - 12th season.
Bill Cowher - 14th season.

Those are some legendary coaches.

The other 31 Super Bowl winning coaches have all won championships within their first seven years with that organization.

LaFleur is in year 7. Holmgren and McCarthy won in year 5. The clock is ticking.

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BuckyBadger's picture

October 06, 2025 at 09:31 am

Look around the league today. What team/coach isn't being criticized by the fans in some form of fashion? John Harbaugh was suppose to have the best team in the NFL and ever since they blew that lead vs the Bills that team has fallen and can't get up. Is he a bad coach who should be fired? Andy Reid has been a genius and bum so many times I have lost count. They wanted him fired in KC the year before Mahomes started saying he couldn't win the big games. There was an article in SI that year of a KC sports righter saying if they wanted to win Reid had to go, the article didn't age well. Bills just came out flat and made tons of mistakes vs a team they where heavy favorites to beat. McDormett has struggled getting his team over the hump as well and I would be willing to bet there are fans on their boards calling for his job.

Every contending team in the league has already experienced some ups and downs. The downs always land on the coach even when it was the players who didn't execute. Fire a coach every time something goes a little wrong you will be the Raiders or Jaguars very soon.

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Dragon5's picture

October 06, 2025 at 10:01 am

"MEN DON'T FOLLOW TITLES, THEY FOLLOW COURAGE."

MLF is a 4 life path--fantastic work ethic. He also has 3 energy being born on the 3rd emphasizing communication. What he lacks is leadership, most often associated with 1 energy.

Stubbornly sticking with failing coordinators in repeated fashion, that he hired, in a results-based environment is nothing short of insanity. Leadership is making hard decisions in the face of adversity; every inch he continues to give to failing coordinators is a mile less on his head coaching career.

He appears a classic victim of analysis paralysis...too often overthinking play calling or clock management; as fans, do we not see it on a weekly basis? Clearly there is a deficit in real-time executive functioning to see the forest through the trees.

Our QB, also a 4 life is on a similar track. Hard worker, not a leader. The one thing Jordan does have going for him is he's born on the 2nd. 2 energy is associated with diplomacy--bringing people together. That's the bone I can throw, where, hopefully the team rallies around him. The only way that happens is if he performs with consistency.

Elgton Jenkins and Adam Stenavich are the two 🐷year born peeps on this team, currently in their enemy year of the 🐍, who are likely to continue to struggle through mid-Feb. In February, Bisaccia's enemy year will hit--what's the most likely outcome? Bye-bye Rich. Book it.

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NFLfan's picture

October 06, 2025 at 05:53 pm

Aaron Rodgers was born on the second--Dec 2.

Both MLF and Love are Scorpios---Nov 3 and Nov 2--Jordan has an Aries moon which gives him boldness and a warrior style on the field.
MLF has a Taurus moon- Taurus are stubborn and risk-averse.

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mnbadger's picture

October 06, 2025 at 09:32 pm

I'm a Virgo, born on the 14th.
I don't give 2 shits about any of that.
MLF has to make in game adjustments better and show he has a clue about clock awareness before I'll call him a better than average head coach.
He's not the offensive coordinator, he's the head coach.
He's weak in too many categories of that title.
GPG!

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NFLfan's picture

October 06, 2025 at 10:58 pm

The astrology stuff was said tongue-in-cheek-lol.

I have MLF fatigue-it's up to Ed Policy in the end and I don't know anything about him.

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Leatherhead's picture

October 06, 2025 at 12:43 pm

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/

MLF is 14th all-time in winning %. The only active coaches ahead of him are Sirianni and Harbaugh.'

MLF is 31st alltime in games over .500. The only active coaches ahead of him are Reid, Tomlin, Harbaugh, Carroll, and McDermott.

If he wins 11 games this year, he'll be near 60th in all time wins. And he's young. He's only 40 wins away from being in the Top 40.

If he wins the Super Bowl, he's in the HOF. Just like the last coach we fired for not being "good enough'.

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Bitternotsour's picture

October 06, 2025 at 07:43 pm

To be fair, McCarthy was fired because Aaron turned on him. It was Aaron or McCarthy, and Murphy chose Aaron. A stain on Murphy to be sure. It was also a classless move to not let McCarthy address the team.

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barutanseijin's picture

October 06, 2025 at 03:36 pm

Better line play and Lafleur is a genius.

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NFLfan's picture

October 06, 2025 at 06:11 pm

Interesting interview with Carmen Policy who is 82 and very fit. I'm certain he will offer Ed sage advice.

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NFLfan's picture

October 06, 2025 at 06:49 pm

.

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Bearmeat's picture

October 07, 2025 at 03:10 pm

I was on the MLF bandwagon for years. An original, card carrying member. But he was truly awful in the last two weeks. With a *yes young* but veteran team. Some of his in-game decisions… many of them… truly atrocious. That can’t happen. And don’t even get me started about the special teams for years now.

He needs to be held to account. If they don’t win the division and make a deep playoff run this year? He needs to be squarely on the hot seat in 2026.

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