The Green Bay Packers handed Tucker Kraft a new contract and a captain’s patch before the 2026 season begun.
One game in, the tight end is already using that platform to demand more from the offense. Kraft agreed to a four-year, $75 million extension one day before the opener and was among Green Bay’s five captains elected for the season.
Green Bay’s 39-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 13 turned from a promising opener into a fourth-quarter collapse. The Packers led 22-10 late in the third quarter before Minnesota scored the final 29 points, turning a 12-point deficit into a 17-point win.
Kraft, speaking after the loss, didn’t dance around what he thought Green Bay lacked.
“You’ve got to be able to just go out there and drop your nuts,” Kraft said, according to Dominique Yates of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
He expanded on that challenge with a simpler dispatch about individual matchups: “Look across the line of scrimmage and say, ‘That guy’s not gonna beat me.’”
“You’ve got to be able to just go out there and drop your nuts.”
Kraft Points to Packers’ Problems Behind the Sticks
Kraft’s frustration centered partly on how often the Packers made life harder on themselves. Green Bay finished 3-of-12 on third down and committed 12 penalties for 98 yards, per the team’s official postgame recap.
“We got behind our rhythm and we were in those positions, those second [and] 10s, second [and] 12, you know, third and long,” Kraft said. “Those are tough.”
Once Minnesota’s defense was able to attack Jordan Love, the longer-yardage downs were tricky. The Vikings finished with 15 quarterback hits, while Green Bay’s final two decent possessions ended with a Love strip-sack and an interception. Both turnovers gave Minnesota short fields and both led to touchdowns.
The collapse came after Love had repeatedly punished the Vikings’ pressure earlier in the game. He finished with 387 passing yards and two touchdowns, both to Christian Watson, who posted six catches for 147 yards.
Kraft also supplied one of Green Bay’s better receiving lines in his return to regular-season action. He caught three passes for 65 yards, an nice individual outcome after a torn ACL ended his 2025 season after eight games.
The overarching problem was sustaining that success when Minnesota turned up the pressure.
Packers’ New Captain Speaks Up After Extension
Kraft’s deal included a $26.5 million signing bonus and keeps him under contract through the 2030 season.
Green Bay also named Kraft one of its five captains for 2026, joining Love as one of two offensive captains. It marked another vote of confidence in the 25-year-old as he returned from the knee injury.
His first postgame message in that role was direct.
The Packers had a chance to stretch their lead early in the fourth quarter after a Minnesota penalty wiped away a made field goal and gave Green Bay fourth-and-1.
Matt LaFleur chose to take the points off the board, but Love’s quarterback sneak was stopped.
Minnesota followed with an 83-yard go-ahead touchdown drive, aided by three Green Bay penalties on third down.
From there, the Packers unraveled.
Kraft’s comments put the focus back on the players rather than the decision-making or officiating. Green Bay had chances to win individual downs, stay on schedule and close the game.
It did not.
All in all, after one loss, Kraft made it clear what standard he expects the offense to meet.
Packers’ Newly Extended Tucker Kraft Issues Challenge After Week 1 Meltdown