The best thing that the Green Bay Packers did this offseason was give head coach Matt LeFleur a contract extension. ESPN went through the Packers and the offseason and noted that, despite rumblings of LeFleur being on the hot seat, the team made the right decision.
The Packers have had a few tough playoff exits in recent years. In the past two years, they lost in the Wild Card round. In 2024, they ended the year on a three-game losing streak, and last year it was a five-game losing streak. Frustration is fair, but the Packers never had a strong enough reason to fire him, which is why the Packers kept him, and why the decision is being praised.
Green Bay Packers Smartly Extended Head Coach Matt LeFleur
GettyMatt LeFleur
Since 2019, when LeFleur was hired, the Packers have been third in regular-season wins, only behind the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. Considering the star quarterbacks on those teams, this is an impressive feat. The issue is that in that same time span, the Packers are tied for tenth in playoff wins with three. Buffalo has eight wins over that time, and Kansas City has 16.
Still, there is context behind the struggles. He immediately made the conference championship in each of his first two seasons, showing that he can win in the playoffs. However, in the two following years, his quarterback started to decline, and they missed the playoffs in his last year. We have seen that Rodgers has not been nearly as good in his two stints since Green Bay.
Once again, he immediately won a playoff game in his first year with Jordan Love as the starter. While they lost in the Wild Card the following year, it was to the Philadelphia Eagles who won the Super Bowl. Last year, they added Micah Parsons to get them over the top. However, his ACL injury came at the worst time, and Green Bay did not win a game after that.
Matt LeFleur Keeps the Packers in the Mix
The reality is that with LeFleur, the Packers have a chance to make a run and win a Super Bowl every year. While it has not happened yet, they are just a key injury or a bad matchup away from getting the magical run that is needed.
Being in the playoff mix in six of his seven career years means that every year, the Packers could see the ball bounce their way in a key moment. Letting go of LeFleur could lead them to find the greatest coach in NFL history, but it could also have them fighting for the playoffs every year, or even failing to get in, which plenty of teams do for long stretches.
Green Bay is smart to not get caught up thinking that the grass is greener on the other side and realize that there is a better chance that things will break their way if they continue their sustained success. Of all of the offseason moves, this move keeps them relvant and in the Super Bowl hunt.
ESPN Praises Packers for Matt LeFleur Decision