He will choose integrity over outcome or a game. But those undiscovered moments helped bring LaFleur and Rodgers together and keep them together through the coming turbulence. If all their interactions were about throwing a football, their relationship would have been restricted. There should be many more opportunities for the 42-year-old LaFleur, with or without the 38-year-old Rodgers. And we need to make sure that were manifesting through our words the reality we want to achieve. LaFleur is fine with the cold now. He is, entering his fourth year, the longest-tenured head coach in his division, no doubt a byproduct of his rivals inability to reliably beat him. Aaron set me straight, LaFleur said. I am not trying to compete with anybody else in the league. Robert Saleh, a defensive quality control coach for Houston and LaFleurs former roommate when they were both young assistant coaches at Central Michigan, pitched Shanahan and Kubiak on LaFleur. Motion, fakes. The Packers also have one pick each in the second, third and fourth rounds, two picks in the fifth and four in the seventh. Citing the Packers traditional reluctance to take a pass catcher in the first round and the lack of safety prospects worth selecting that early, McShay suggested Green Bay might take a pass rusher at No. Matt LaFleur explains decision to cut Kylin Hill: 'Being a member of He always says, Man, the NFL playoffs is the closest thing to March Madness, its going to be super competitive and theres always lessons you can take from your triumphs and defeatsprobably more so when you come up short.. Rodgers talked him through it and wiggled the tooth for him. Why Packers are struggling for first time under Matt LaFleur - Green A group of young receiversled by fourth-round pick Romeo Doubs or second-round pick Christian Watson, who has been banged upwill have opportunities to show something this year. Playbook alterations were coming anyway. Its like religion and politics. Eagles' 2023 NFL draft: Pick-by-pick analysis for all seven selections Then when passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy resigned to become offensive coordinator of the Bears, LaFleur told Rodgers he wanted to talk to Clements. authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. When LaFleur realized how perturbed Rodgers was last offseason, Rodgers said his coach was on the next flight to visit him in Malibu, Calif. That was definitely meaningful to me, Rodgers says. Can we take some motion off to get some tempo practice? And he can say yes without being sensitive, Rodgers says. Mason Crosby connected to narrow the gap to four points. That move could lead to the exit of free agent Mason Crosby, who has a franchise-record 1,918 career points over 17 seasons. The Shanahan-McVay origins are what drew the Packers interest in LaFleur after firing McCarthy, knowing that maximizing the quarterback was going to be the most important piece of the puzzle. 1 seed in their respective conferences this year, but both teams were defeated at home in the divisional round. Between LaFleur and Rodgers, there is trust. But that obscures the fact that if it were so easy to win 13 games, LaFleurs predecessor Mike McCarthy would have done it at least once in any of his last seven years at the helm. Hes got the green light on the field, LaFleur said. Teams are going to practice what theyve seen on tape, so take what theyve practiced and run the counter to it. Oops. LaFleur has already broken former 49ers coach George Seiferts record for most wins in his first three seasons with 39. On ESPNs Jan. 3 Manningcast for Monday Night Football, Rodgers joked about his coachs eyebrows and hair and also pointed out his game-day attire has included Jordans, lululemon pants and a quarter-zip sweater. Obviously I would rather have him on my team than someone elses, but we know that in this industry, nothing is forever., Well, Ill be honest with you, LaFleur begins. The wedding story starts where all LaFleur stories do: with the coach trying to give everyone space to be themselves. First-year coach Matt LaFleur has a chance to lead the Green Bay Packers to an NFC championship and a trip to Super Bowl 54 against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night. I told him, Hey, from my standpoint, you have to do what you think is right for your body.. For some coaches, failures beget more failures. (Larry Radloff / Icon Sportswire via Associated Press). Rodgers says of his coach: Guys will follow you if you show them how much it means to you. (Michael Owens / Associated Press), Matt LaFleur, with linebacker DeVondre Campbell, has an impeccable winning percentage of .796 but no championships. When LaFleur was a kid, family members called him Matty. Three of his childhood friends still call him that. Glenn Erby. Pete Carroll uses them. So whether you were vaxed or unvaxed, it doesnt shield you from it. There wasnt anything other than, This guy will work his butt off, Saleh says now. And that says as much as you need to know.. The argument LaFleur suffers from is that hes a beneficiary of Rodgerss talent. That now-famous Washington staff included both Shanahans (Kyle as offensive coordinator), LaFleur (quarterbacks coach), McVay (tight ends coach) and McDaniel (offensive assistant turned wide receivers coach). The Eagles entered the draft with six selections, including the tenth and 30th overall pick and a second and third-rounder. If I see any other quarterback do something, I say, We can do that. I just tell our staff, the only thing that limits us is our own imagination.. Im in Green Bay to find out why more people dont say that. Rodgers appreciated his coachs stance, even if it wasnt verbalized at a podium. This period ended organicallya meeting here, a play there, a series of expansive Zoom calls before the 2020 season. All rights reserved. He mentioned Lazard getting more opportunities, a healthy Randall Cobb being a factor, and big years from tight ends who might step up, along with backs catching more balls. Packers face decision on unproven quarterback with fifth-year option Arthur Smith said he sees it took Matt LaFleur all day to come up with a response to his joking barb Tuesday. The coach-quarterback relationship ultimately helped LaFleur build trust with his entire team. Serving as the officiant of the marriage for teammate David Bakhtiari and Frankie Shebby at the Rosewood Miramar Hotel in Montecito, Calif., Rodgers undoubtedly was having thoughts beyond the everyday variety. GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) Aaron Rodgers might not be the only longtime Packer heading out of Green Bay. Weve seen that throughout society, throughout this locker room. Youre not facing the defense, turned toward the running back on the fake for most of the play. It eventually came out, giving Ty a story that he might tell his grandkids. Theres no question in my mind I could trust him with anything. He has such a calm, cool demeanor that I think anybody would gravitate towards him.. Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers warms up before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field on November 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. That was the backdrop to the March wedding. Also at the wedding was Packers coach Matt LaFleur, who had the opportunity at the reception to lead Rodgers to the bar, offer him something strong and straight up, and make a pitch for Rodgers to come home with him. He gets reflective. Thats kind of how my family rolls, LeFleur says. But when I asked McDaniel my last questionWhats one thing I wouldnt know about LaFleur?he got far more serious. (Todd Rosenberg / Associated Press), Matt LaFleur willingly shields his players and assistant coaches from blame: As a leader, you have to own everything. (Jeffrey Phelps / Associated Press), Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers chat at the NFL Honors show on Feb. 10. He did not. The Packers took Christian Watson in the second round and Romeo Doubs in the fourth last year, who is expected to get traded to the New York Jets. Hes not confrontational, but hes not afraid of conflict, McDaniel said. I Want To Believe: . I really like it now, Rodgers said. video. 12 pick in 2019. who played one special teams snap and no offensive snaps as a rookie, was suspended the last six games of the season. Adams is an impossible player to replace, someone capable of lining up in the slot or out wide, and catching passes all over the fieldlast season he had double-digit receptions behind the line of scrimmage, within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, 10-19 yards deep, and then 20-plus yards deep; and according to Pro Football Focus, over the past two seasons, when Adams was in single coverage, passes to him registered a 129.6 passer rating. Transfer exodus at Colorado unprecedented in portal era - Yahoo News Trust from the locker room will be crucial as he tries to fill the crater in his offense left by the trade of Adams, whose desire was to play for the Raiders. And he was still so spooked when he returned to Green Bay that he talked to offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich about it. Hourly. And LaFleur moved past the question almost impossibly quickly. FIRST ALERT WEATHER: Wintry mix lingers around It all starts with Kyle, Mike LaFleur said. It was like he was running on a hamster wheel, McDaniel said. LaFleur acknowledges his offense wont look the same without Adams, though the foundation will remain. (Its not.) In multiple conversations over the two days after the end of the Packers season, LaFleur made sure Rodgers knew how much he was wanted. As much as anything, its why Rodgers will be a Packer in 2022. If I can stand up and say I could have done things better, I think people are more receptive to accepting constructive criticism.. He was cooking dal and kitchari. Rodgers' move to the New York Jets had finally come through after weeks of negotiations with both franchises dealing away a significant amount of picks moving around and it only further solidified how much trust the organization has in him. "I think he definitely understands that he's the guy in charge. I want to do right by our guys, or at least be open enough to listen to their concerns and then ultimately do whats in the best interest of everybody.. Critics Say This Anecdote Shows Ex-Notre Dame Coach Brian - HuffPost You have to learn from every situation you are in, LaFleur says. That is what is unfolding in Green Bay. But Rodgers did not love all of the motion in the offense. Coaching is about many things, but one of the foundational, overlooked aspects is trust. It is unprecedented turnover in this new era of loosened . If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. The three rules are very easy to abide by, in our opinion. It was well-received, so LaFleur instituted a new policy that vets never have to stay at the team hotel on the night before home games. I know a lots been speculated, Oh, theyre gonna lean more on the run game. Well, maybe. I hadnt really ever hit it, so I had no reference point to be able to throw that with confidence, Rodgers said. Of course, there were several unsightly seams between Rodgers and others in the organization. LaFleur has not indicated, at any point, that he wants acknowledgment for what the Packers have achieved with him at the helm. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL, Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur speaks during the NFC head coaches availability at the NFL football meetings, Tuesday, March 28, 2023, in Phoenix. Some of the leaders didnt think it was in the teams best interests and told LaFleur a day off their feet would be more beneficial. After four years in Washington, a brief stop at Notre Dame, and a move to Atlanta with Kyle Shanahan, LaFleur was a no-brainer hire to be McVays first offensive coordinator in Los Angeles in 2017. Could you imagine if we could ever find a guy like that? He is so good, in fact, that LaFleur fights the urge to let him pass on every play. More than 48,000 people died by suicide in the US in 2021 . "I don't think there's many things we're leaning on very well right now," LaFleur said after the loss to the Jets. This, a handful of Packers told me, is the backbone of the team. You want to earn that trust, and then you want to keep it, Campbell said. A lot of people would be like yes, sirand he was very very respectful, but he would ask why, McDaniel said. Rodgers agrees, saying he has seen LaFleur loosen up and worry less about the little things. The depth of this draft class at receiver and particularly at tight end could push the Packers toward using the 15th overall pick to address other needs, such as adding a safety or a pass rusher. When the team hosted kids and their families from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the coach noticed Rodgers did more than provide autographs like he was signing checks to pay bills. Packers' Matt LaFleur leads with grace through Aaron Rodgers' COVID-19 And so the toxins in the relationship between Rodgers and the Packers began to pass. Once he hits 50 total games coached, which will happen Week 1 of this season, he can take his rightful place atop the all-time winning percentage list for coaches, a spot currently occupied by Guy Chamberlin, last seen coaching the 1927 Chicago Cardinals and retiring in his mid-30s to become a farmer. Hes getting all this credibility for being a handsome, good-looking coach. The Green Bay Packers have begun the process of moving on from the Aaron Rodgers era. But, as Saleh said, LaFleurs strength at that time was work ethic, not scheme. That shit doesnt bother me, LaFleur said. I was like Holy shit, Ive got a lot to learn.. Maybe (Lukas) Van Ness from Iowa winds up falling to 15. But neither season ended the way they wanted. Green Bay has been the center of the media circus a handful of times over the past two years: Rodgerss will-he-or-wont-he controversies about retirement and trade demands, or his positive COVID test last season which led to the revelation that Rodgers was not vaccinated. McVay has been impressed from afar by LaFleurs ability to mesh and mold his core beliefs while also making sure Aaron had ownership. McVay said that seeing the LaFleur offense evolve to incorporate Rodgerss tendencies and personnel advantages has been powerful., The identity of a Green Bay offense under his leadership is some of the things Aaron has done at such a high level that are maybe a little different from what some of our backgrounds involved, McVay said. We always thought hed be a perfect fit for the scheme. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst, president Mark Murphy and director of football operations Russ Ball also were involved in the discussions. LaFleur has won two playoff games as a head coach but has yet to lead his team to a Super Bowlthis despite earning a first-round playoff bye in each of his three seasons. Tight end Marcedes Lewis said if he didnt have LaFleur as his coach, he might not be in the leagueand not necessarily because LaFleur uses his skill set perfectly (though he does, letting Lewis be a dominant blocker and catch passes off those blocks). Matt never told me this, I didnt find it out until years later, McDaniel said. Matt LaFleur, the new head coach for the Green Bay Packers, is married to wife BreAnne, is the father of two boys, and has a brother who is also involved in the National Football League. LaFleurs commitment to the Packers and Rodgers led to a spirit of cooperation from the quarterback. Matt LaFleur Fully Supporting Jordan Love As Franchise Quarterback On March 5, the world was still awaiting confirmation that the NFLs reigning most valuable player planned to return to Green Bay. It might be the storywhy this all works. The more of it LaFleur gets, the more of it he gives. LaFleur visited Rodgers in California a second time in 2021 before Rodgers acquiesced to playing for the Packers last season. Its just gonna get distributed among the guys that we have here, Rodgers said. I dont want to discredit the fact that hes a perfect fit for any scheme, but we would literally talk about that amongst each other, LaFleur said. I mean, he is so efficient at it, LaFleur said. Matt LaFleur has noticed a different "mojo" with Jordan Love And we're excited for him.". "I've praised Mason up here a . Which may explain, in part, why three days after the wedding, Rodgers informed LaFleur Matty, he calls him that the vows between the Packers and their passer would be renewed. But if there is one thing that Love has learned from flying under Rodgers' wing, it is that he has made strides towards becoming a better on-field leader. I think you guys probably notice it even when you're in the locker room," LaFleur said in a press conference this past Saturday, April 29. He was supportive from the start.. He sat with them, ate lunch and showed genuine interest in their interests. We live in this. Even so, he does not feel a ton of pressure. Packers' Matt LaFleur will face off his brother Mike LaFleur in Sunday LaFleur takes his hat and starts to sign the bill before the man asks him to sign the front. If Rodgers was ticked off at LaFleur, hed get frustrated and stew. Because I troll Matt all the time.. After the Saints stunned the Packers 38-3 in the opening game of the 2021 season, LaFleur said, Obviously, I didnt get these guys ready to play ball.. Where LaFleur calls home, there are championships and there are failures and not much between. He has some really finely kept eyebrows.. In June, before his first season, LaFleur threw the first pitch at the Green and Gold charity softball game at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wis. His sons, Luke and Ty, were there, as was his quarterback. Josiah Deguara, who had 13 catches for 114 yards last season, is the top tight end under contract. Matt LaFleur Family & Children: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know Packers' Matt LaFleur offers another sign that Aaron Rodgers is headed LaFleur, barring a Bengals dynasty for Taylor or a surprising uptick for Kliff Kingsbury in Arizona, is almost certainly going to end up being the best hire of the group. I like practical coaching that makes sense and honest, direct conversation. Rodgers accuses LaFleur of having his wife, BreAnne, manicure those brows, which are dark, not too bushy and not too sparse. Tight end is an even greater need. Aaron Jones and A.J. That can create conflict in a lot of situations, but not for them. LaFleur gave that same freedom to Rodgers after last season, when the quarterback was unsure whether he wanted to keep playing. All Rights Reserved. I know he was taking a lot of heat. LaFleurs approach was to lock arms with Rodgers, as much as Rodgers was willing, and he set out to blend the Shanahan system he had been a part of for eight of the previous nine years with the plays and concepts Rodgers favored. July 30, 2018 by Matt Lafleur. But the Packers never got the ball back. I just have so much trust in these guys that they are doing the right thing, LaFleur says. During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers kiddingly said his toe issue, later revealed to be a fracture, was COVID toe. He was just very humble and such a perfectionist at that point in his career that it made him really mad when he didnt know things. The pro game, McDaniel said, was a specific world compared to other levels of football, and the other staff members in Houston were deeply rooted in it. I wanted him to do what made him happy, because I think too many times we forget these players are people, first and foremost. As part of his opening statement, LaFleur said, Obviously, I didnt do enough to get our team prepared to win a football game. The Packers Miss Super Bowl Thanks to Terrible 4th Down Decision - Insider Head coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers #12 meet in the fourth quarter against the Washington Football Team in the game at Lambeau Field on October 24, 2021 in Green Bay . The offensive coordinator of that Texans team certainly knew a hell of a lot about football. On the third-and-goal play from the 8 before the field goal, Rodgers threw an incompletion to Davante Adams instead of trying to run even though he appeared to have space. There was also 10-Yard Fight, an obscure video game LaFleur loved as a kid, Tecmo Bowl, and, according to his brother, a lot of EA Sports NCAA Football. The flip side of that is that LaFleur empowers his assistants and wants input, Stenavich said, and lets assistants address the room in ways other coaches might not. But even more drastic press conferences than that have taken place during his Packers tenure. LaFleur and Rodgers operate as part millennial Vince LombardiBart Starr and part bickering old married coupleif the old married couple won 80 percent of their football games and designed an offense that combined classic Shanahan-McVay principles with Rodgerss ability to lay waste to entire Midwestern cities. After GM Howie Roseman made seven trades, Philadelphia finished the weekend with seven picks and more 2024 ammo. Total Packers with Matt LaFleur: Rasul Douglas - Green Bay Packers Lets have an open dialogue and conversation and get better. I get hired by the Texans, Im 28 years old, our offensive coordinator was my age and I was thinking, This kid cant know that much more than me. And I was blown away. John Madden had them. That was the furthest thing from his mind. I wasted a lot of my life playing. I explain that I dont think it was a waste, as were sitting on a training table in the massive indoor practice facility of the team hes led to 39 wins in three years. He is one of 49 members on the Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors board and one of nine members on the Seniors Committee. But privately, he extended a hand. Packers can shore up pivotal role in Matt LaFleur's offense with tight A new seasonand the Wisconsin coldis coming. Matt LaFleur was in his debut season as Green Bay's coach when the Packers lost the NFC championship game to the San Francisco 49ers, whose staff featured Saleh as defensive coordinator and. McDaniel said that with everyone in their 20s or early 30s, with no kids, coaches worked 20-hour days just to get Kyle Shanahans workplace affection. The NFL announced Friday that LaFleur will be the NFC coach for the 2022 Pro Bowl, while Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel will coach the AFC.. LaFleur's Packers and Vrabel's Titans were both the No. That scheme, which is heavy on play-action, zone runs, and motion, has made winners out of less-talented passers like Jared Goff and Jimmy Garoppolo. Theyre always the most important. LaFleur remembers sitting in Washington and seeing the natural throwing motion and athleticism of Rodgers and realizing that theres nothing he cant do. Kyle and Matt were huge mentors of mine. We have a lot of conversations during the weekthats why I never want to miss a meeting. He had no problem running on two hours of sleep. LaFleur was a former undersized midwestern quarterback and the son of a MAC coach. "I don't really anticipate a whole . He broke Don Shulas record in the Super Bowl era for best winning percentage in his first 40 games. But the results are good., LaFleur has blended this offense with the best plays from McCarthys playbook, at Rodgerss request, the result of an exhaustive and collaborative effort to make the quarterback feel as comfortable as possible.