Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers snapped their six-game losing streak in Week 2. But that doesn’t mean the pressure is off LaFleur with the Packers entering their home opener Thursday night against the Atlanta Falcons.
If anything, it might still be at an all-time time.
CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan ranked the hottest NFL head coaching seats with Week 3 on the horizon. LaFleur began the list at No. 7.
LaFleur may have found himself higher on this list had it not been for his Packers rallying late to beat the Jets in Week 2. Even in the winning effort, they weren’t that impressive,” wrote Sullivan.
The CBS analyst placed a big part of Green Bay’s early season issues on the absences of edge rusher Micah Parsons and running back Josh Jacobs. But even then, Sullivan argued LaFleur’s Packers are underperforming.
“Even accounting for their absences, it still looks clunky. They play the Falcons on Thursday to begin Week 3, which should be an opportunity to put together a second straight win as they open up Lambeau Field,” added Sullivan. “Their Week 4 matchup is also favorable against the Bucs (road), so they could conceivably come out of the first month 3-1.
“That would alleviate a lot of pressure for LaFleur (who signed an extension this offseason), especially with reinforcements possibly on the horizon.”
Of course, with the expectation the Packers should absolutely beat the 0-2 Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, if Green Bay should lose either of those two games, LaFleur could really climb any head coach hot seat rankings.
Is Matt LaFleur on the Hot Seat With Packers?
It’s hard to say definitively if LaFleur is on the hot seat. A big group of Packers fans on X, though, appear to want him there.
Social media ripped into LaFleur when Green Bay allowed the Minnesota Vikings to score the final 29 points of their Week 1 matchup. In both games this season, the Packers have also dealt with penalty issues.
Entering Week 3, the Packers lead the NFL with 26 accepted penalties and 231 penalty yardage. Green Bay has committed five more accepted fouls than every other team. Additionally, only one other club has more than 200 yards of penalties.
Typically, penalties are a reflection on coaching.
Again, LaFleur could really begin to feel the heat if the Packers lose Thursday to the Falcons. Incredibly, Atlanta hasn’t run a play in the red zone through two games. But the Falcons have their own reinforcements coming back with quarterback Michael Penix Jr. set to start behind center for the first time this season during Week 3.
It’s obviously early in the 2026 season. LaFleur could be on the hot seat, though, because it’s been some time since the Packers were playing well. Green Bay is 1-6 in its last seven games dating back to last December.
Still, it’s worth debating whether LaFleur is actually on the hot seat. That’s because he received an extension after the team’s playoff exit in January. NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported on January 17 it was a multi-year deal.
It would be highly irregular for a stable franchise like the Packers to move on from a head coach with a .651 win percentage one year into an extension. But the Packers winning is the only way for LaFleur to truly put the hot seat topic to rest.
Packers’ Matt LaFleur Put on Notice Before Falcons Game