Packers to hire Matt LaFleur as their next Head Coach
We have a coach! The Green Bay Packers have hired Matt LaFleur, the Offensive Coordinator of the Tennessee Titans, to be their next head coach.
LaFleur was born in Mount Pleasant, Michigan and went to Western Michigan before transferring to Saginaw Valley State. He never played in the NFL, but he became an assistant coach at a young age. He was on the coaching staff of the Houston Texans and the Washington Redskins before leaving for Notre Dame for a year to coach the quarterbacks. He then went to Atlanta and coached Matt Ryan for two years. In 2016, Ryan won the MVP Award. He then went to the Los Angeles Rams to become their OC. Jared Goff had a nice sophomore year in the NFL. He then left for Tennessee to become their OC for a year. He is 39 and has worked with coaches such as Mike Shanahan and Sean McVay.
Of course with the hiring comes many questions. Why him? What does he bring to the table? Can he help Aaron Rodgers return to his MVP form? How creative is his playcalling? Can he find the right mix of running and passing, especially with some very talented running backs on the roster?
I knew that the early interviews of Chuck Pagano and Jim Caldwell were mostly for show. The Caldwell interview fulfilled the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate. Josh McDaniels was probably considered the front-runner, but I never really warmed up to him. He didn’t do well at Denver, plus I think he lost a lot of respect around the league by agreeing to become the Colts’ head coach and then pulling out after the Super Bowl. I think the Colts came out of it well after hiring Frank Reich.
Back to the Packers and Matt LaFleur, I think the team preferred a young and energetic offensive mind. I think he will work well with Rodgers. LaFleur is expected to retain Mike Pettine as the Defensive Coordinator and find a place for Joe Philbin on his staff.
I personally want to see a Packer team that has an exciting offense that scores more touchdowns and fewer field goals. I want to see fewer wasted timeouts and high percentage plays on third and fourth downs. Most importantly, I want to see plenty of wins in the regular season and in the postseason. I want to see LaFleur hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy with confetti falling on his head.
Is LaFleur the right head coach? Only time will tell. All I know is I’m excited for next season. Let’s have a great free agency period, a great draft, and a great training camp as we prepare for the 2019 regular season. I can’t wait. Welcome to Green Bay Matt LaFleur. It is a great honor to coach in Green Bay, but we have high standards here, so be ready to get to work and return the Packers to the top of the NFL where they belong.
Go Pack Go!
@DieHardPackrFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901
