It is early 2026, and the air in Green Bay is thick with that familiar, stinging mix of sub-zero wind chill and playoff heartbreak. If you follow the team, you know the drill. Another winning season, another January exit—this time a 31-27 collapse against the Chicago Bears in the Wild Card round.
People are screaming on the radio. They’re calling for heads to roll. But here’s the thing: being the coach Green Bay Packers fans love to hate is basically a rite of passage. Matt LaFleur just finished his seventh year, and honestly, the guy is a walking contradiction. He’s one of the winningest coaches in NFL history through his first 100 games, yet a vocal part of the frozen tundra faithful wants him gone yesterday.
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Why? Because in Green Bay, 9-7-1 isn't a "solid year." It’s a failure.
The Matt LaFleur Reality Check
Let’s look at the numbers because they’re kinda insane. LaFleur holds a 76-40-1 regular-season record. That’s a 65.4% win rate. To put that in perspective, he has a higher winning percentage than Mike McCarthy and is nipping at the heels of Mike Holmgren.
He survived the transition from a Hall of Famer in Aaron Rodgers to the Jordan Love era without the team bottoming out. Most franchises take a decade to find a new QB. LaFleur did it in a weekend. But that 3-6 playoff record? That’s the anchor tied around his neck.
You’ve got a guy who can script an opening drive better than almost anyone in the league. The Packers often jump out to 10-0 or 14-3 leads. Then, for some reason, the car hits cruise control. Fans call it "scared football." They see a coach who stops attacking and starts trying to not lose.
Is the Coaching Staff About to Implode?
The 2026 offseason is shaping up to be a mess for the coach Green Bay Packers leadership. It’s not just about LaFleur; it’s about the guys sitting next to him on the plane.
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- The Jeff Hafley Problem: Hafley basically fixed the defense. After years of Joe Barry’s "bend but eventually break" scheme, Hafley turned the unit into a top-12 powerhouse even after superstar Micah Parsons went down with a torn ACL. Now, the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins are circling like sharks. Losing him would mean LaFleur has to find his fourth defensive coordinator in eight years.
- The Rich Bisaccia Heat: Special teams were supposed to be "fixed" when Bisaccia arrived. They aren’t. Giving up a massive return in a playoff game is a death sentence in Green Bay. LaFleur has been loyal to a fault with his staff before, but rumors are swirling that team president Ed Policy might force a change here.
- The Front Office Shuffle: With VP of Player Personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan likely heading to Miami to be a GM, the support system around the coaching staff is fracturing.
What Really Happened in 2025?
Honestly, the 2025 season was a weird one. The Packers were the youngest team in the playoffs for the third year running. That’s a badge of honor for GM Brian Gutekunst, but it’s a headache for a coach.
Young players make young mistakes.
We saw it in the Wild Card loss. A 15-point lead evaporated in the fourth quarter. Was that on LaFleur for being too conservative with Jordan Love’s arm? Or was it on the 18 players on the injured list? The reality is usually somewhere in the middle. LaFleur’s offensive scheme is brilliant when it’s balanced, but when he gets "cute" with the run game to burn clock, the rhythm dies.
The Heritage vs. The Modern Game
When you talk about the coach Green Bay Packers role, you’re talking about Vince Lombardi and Curly Lambeau. Those shadows are long.
Lombardi won five titles. Holmgren and McCarthy got their rings. LaFleur is currently the guy who wins the division (usually) but can’t close the deal in the NFC Championship or the Divisional rounds. He’s 46 years old, still young by coaching standards, but the patience in Titletown is paper-thin.
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The fan base is split. One side sees a coach who keeps them relevant every single year. The other side sees a coach who gets outmaneuvered by the Kyle Shanahans of the world when the lights get bright.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Offseason
If you’re tracking the Packers' coaching situation, keep an eye on these specific movements over the next few weeks:
- Contract Extension Talks: LaFleur is entering the final year of his deal in 2026. If a long-term extension isn't signed by training camp, he’s a "lame duck" coach, which usually ends in a firing.
- The DC Search: If Hafley leaves for a head coaching gig, look at internal candidates like DeMarcus Covington (DL coach) or an external big fish like Raheem Morris.
- Special Teams Overhaul: If Bisaccia is let go, it signals a shift in LaFleur’s willingness to be "ruthless" for the sake of winning.
- The Jordan Love Factor: The offense needs to evolve. Expect LaFleur to give Love even more autonomy at the line of scrimmage to prevent those mid-game scoring droughts.
The Packers aren't breaking up—not yet. Ed Policy and Brian Gutekunst seem committed to LaFleur for at least one more run. But 2026 is officially "Super Bowl or bust" territory. Another early exit, and the winningest coach in recent history might find himself looking for work.