After seven years with not a sniff of the Super Bowl in the Matt LaFleur era, Green Bay Packers president and CEO Ed Policy was tasked with his first big decision this offseason. Ultimately, he and the Packers opted to extend LaFleur’s contract. They took the safe route.
There’s a high floor with LaFleur in place as the head coach. The Packers have made the playoffs in six of his seven seasons at the helm. After agreeing to an extension on Saturday, Green Bay has the comfort of knowing that much should stay intact. The odds of things completely bottoming out are unlikely, especially with how players spoke of LaFleur at the end of the season in lobbying for his return.
Plenty of franchises would gleefully sign up for that. Constant playoff appearances? A shot at the division every year (despite the fact that every team in the NFC North has claimed the crown since Green Bay last did)? It doesn’t sound so bad.
The issues stem from LaFleur’s tendency to crumble in big spots. Often, clock management and game management play a big part in that. Policy’s first big move could’ve been a seismic shift; instead, he took the conservative route.
For those already reaching for a keyboard to pound out, Who’s available that you’d rather have!?, consider that the Buffalo Bills could’ve taken that same approach after the Denver Broncos eliminated them, but instead parted ways with head coach Sean McDermott on Monday.
The Bills have an MVP quarterback in Josh Allen and an organization that has consistently made the playoffs since McDermott took over in 2017. After a devastating overtime loss to Denver, it would’ve been easy to stick to the status quo. Instead, the Bills didn’t panic, wondering who was available. The powers that be recognized that they needed to make a change, and now Buffalo will have a new head coach entering 2026.
Matt LaFleur could get Green Bay back to the Super Bowl. Still, if you’re looking for historical precedent to support that theory, there isn’t much of it. You could argue that Policy is settling for good rather than great, which shouldn’t be the goal.
ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported that LaFleur’s extension is not a prove-it deal but a real commitment. That could be hard to stomach for fans focused on the fact that the Packers lost five consecutive games to end the season, including multiple collapses against Denver and the Chicago Bears.
Those who support the decision will focus on LaFleur’s overall record rather than his 38-33-1 performance, including the postseason, over the last four years. They’ll highlight that injuries are costing the Packers more in 2025 than any in-game decisions made by LaFleur. All of which is true. However, if Green Bay hasn’t even gotten to the Super Bowl in seven years, why should anyone be optimistic that it will finally click in Year 8 or 9?
Policy perhaps looked at the broader picture and realized if the Packers dumped LaFleur and the next hire didn’t work out, it’d be an early blemish — and a big one — on his résumé. Factoring such things into the equation shouldn’t be part of it. But come on, he’s human.
Former Packers offensive lineman and current co-host of Wilde and Tausch, Mark Tauscher, put it best on Monday.
I really believe it’s, okay, let’s see. What are they gonna do different? How is it gonna change? … My question has always been, what is gonna change? How’s it gonna end different? … Alright, great, have a great regular season. What are you gonna do in the postseason?
This Matt LaFleur era is now basically evolved into, alright, regular season you’re gonna be fine, hopefully better than what you’ve been. But you’re gonna get in the dance and then it’s gonna be, can you do it when the money is on the table?
That last part is critical. Can you do it when the money is on the table? For seven years, the answer has been no. Many of Green Bay’s playoff losses have involved either blowing a lead or getting in its own way. How does that change?
Bringing Matt LaFleur back is not a terrible decision. He’s a good coach. Some would say he’s a damn good coach. But when the lights are the brightest, LaFleur’s teams have often fallen apart.
The floor is high. The playoffs should be a lock, and it’s important not take that for granted. Many fanbases would sign up for that every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
LaFleur’s extension gives him financial flexibility and more job security. The pressure will only ramp up, though. No longer is sneaking in as the last team in, like the Packers have been three years in a row, going to get a thumbs-up from Policy and the rest of the brain trust. They need a bigger bite of the apple. Bringing back LaFleur was the safest choice, and that’s what Policy rolled with.
