LaFleur’s Departure After Playoff Loss
Matt LaFleur’s final moment with the Packers wasn’t exactly ideal—think of a brief handshake from Ben Johnson, which felt a bit cold.
According to ESPN, although LaFleur is working on a new contract, the season that began with Super Bowl aspirations ended on a disappointing note with a 31-27 defeat to the Bears in the wild card round.
At 46, LaFleur has maintained the Packers as a perennial contender, but the past five seasons have only seen one playoff victory, leading to some speculation about a potential split between him and the team.
LaFleur still has a year remaining on his contract. Team president Ed Policy has previously noted he wants to avoid leaving important staff in a lame duck situation. Interestingly, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst is also in the final year of his deal.
LaFleur was scheduled to meet with Policy shortly after the game, either Sunday or Monday.
When asked about future plans, LaFleur replied, “Honestly, that’s not the focus right now. We’re just coming back from this loss. My only focus is on the players, the team, and finding ways to get better.”
He won’t be part of the current coaching shake-up, given there are eight vacancies in the league right now.
During his time with the Packers, LaFleur has posted a solid 76-40-1 record in the regular season, yet his teams have tended to falter in the playoffs.
With Saturday’s loss, his playoff record now stands at 3-6.
His career began brightly with three back-to-back 13-win seasons and two consecutive NFC Championship Game appearances.
However, the Packers faced tough defeats in the playoffs, including losses to the 49ers and Buccaneers during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, respectively. These moments might have been their best chances at a Super Bowl appearance.
The 2021 team was upset by the 49ers at home, while this year’s squad, a No. 7 seed, lost to the 49ers, squandering a seven-point lead. Last year’s team also faltered against the Eagles, managing just 10 points as a 7th seed.
In the NFC, this year’s team ended up seventh, largely due to a late-game collapse against the Bears in Week 16.
Injuries, such as losing star pass rusher Micah Parsons to a torn ACL in Week 15, also impacted the defense significantly.
Now, LaFleur finds himself with a 1-5 playoff record over his last six postseason games.
Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s future is uncertain as well, and he’s expected to be a sought-after candidate in head coaching searches, possibly even for the Giants’ opening.
Interestingly, LaFleur and Johnson had a somewhat frosty relationship, particularly during Johnson’s inaugural year as the Bears’ head coach. Johnson, formerly the Lions’ offensive coordinator, gave LaFleur a quick handshake before celebrating with his team, exclaiming “Damn you, Packers.”
Despite the loss, LaFleur might have a chance for redemption as it’s likely he will stay in Green Bay.
