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Its so cool, he said, to see your entire friend group rise up in your profession with you. The Packers drafted a third receiver Samori Toure in the seventh round last year. They are squared on the edges, like elongated rectangles. Although the Packers could take a running back in the late rounds, its not a need. On the postgame stage, LaFleur steps in front of the targeted and invites fire. You want to earn that trust, and then you want to keep it, Campbell said. I know a lots been speculated, Oh, theyre gonna lean more on the run game. Well, maybe. LaFleurs winning percentage of .796 is better than the winning percentages of Curly Lambeau and Vince Lombardi. (Todd Rosenberg / Associated Press), Matt LaFleur willingly shields his players and assistant coaches from blame: As a leader, you have to own everything. (Jeffrey Phelps / Associated Press), Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers chat at the NFL Honors show on Feb. 10. But they worked on it. Each guy wants to talk shit about the one I spoke to previously. His players paint him as sort of a Gregg Popovich or Steve Kerrtype personality manager, if either man had an unbelievable skin care regimen. LaFleur has already broken former 49ers coach George Seiferts record for most wins in his first three seasons with 39. Despite some good speeches and agreeable philosophies, Drayton wasn't the answer. For some coaches, failures beget more failures. LaFleurs approach was to lock arms with Rodgers, as much as Rodgers was willing, and he set out to blend the Shanahan system he had been a part of for eight of the previous nine years with the plays and concepts Rodgers favored. Whatever is going to help them be their best, thats what we want. A group of young receiversled by fourth-round pick Romeo Doubs or second-round pick Christian Watson, who has been banged upwill have opportunities to show something this year. That quickly changed. But this only hardened LaFleurs resolve to not say anything. I want to be held accountable, Rodgers says. We didnt even talk about it, to tell you the truth, LaFleur says it being his quarterbacks future. video. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. Its important to really think about how we talk because our words are spells. Aaron audibles a lot. LaFleur has said he learned to cut his own hair during college. And the onus will be on coaches to figure out how to help these players find success. Different late-season rest regiment, play-calling, practice tweaks, anything? I thought (Clements would) be great for him. In 2013, he received the Bill Nunn Award from the Pro Football Writers of America for long and distinguished reporting. And at that stage, 99 percent of coaches wouldnt have had that security. As a leader, you have to own everything, he explains. But that obscures the fact that if it were so easy to win 13 games, LaFleurs predecessor Mike McCarthy would have done it at least once in any of his last seven years at the helm. authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. Its like religion and politics. 1 seed in their respective conferences this year, but both teams were defeated at home in the divisional round. This thing doesnt operate with just one dude. It all starts with Kyle, Mike LaFleur said. But he loves the eye discipline that LaFleurs motions and shifts demand. Which may explain, in part, why three days after the wedding, Rodgers informed LaFleur Matty, he calls him that the vows between the Packers and their passer would be renewed. Serving mainly as Rodgers' backup for the past two seasons, Love has had some chances to showcase what Green Bay fans can expect from him after logging three total touchdowns and 606 yards while completing 60.2 percent of his passes. I do think theres something to just momentum, and obviously coming out of those byes I would say maybe we havent kept the momentum going, at least last year. He starts to run through the teams that beat the Packers: A pretty darn good 49er team in the 2019 season, the Super Bowl champion two years ago, Tampa Bay. Matty Im sure knew this was a possibility, Rodgers says of the controversy. Someone else would be Maryland's wide receivers coach. The West Coast offense, what he was used to, is very guy for a guy when it comes to protection. When LaFleur worked for Dan Quinn on the Falcons in 2015 and 16, Quinn had three rules. Youre not facing the defense, turned toward the running back on the fake for most of the play. The Packers are picking 15th overall after going 8-9 last season, missing the playoffs and ending a string of three straight NFC North titles. John Madden had them. If Rodgers was ticked off at LaFleur, hed get frustrated and stew. I always felt like it was a belief that you could really lock in an advantage, Rodgers says now of that interaction. Of course, there were several unsightly seams between Rodgers and others in the organization. But when I asked McDaniel my last questionWhats one thing I wouldnt know about LaFleur?he got far more serious. Green Bay has been the center of the media circus a handful of times over the past two years: Rodgerss will-he-or-wont-he controversies about retirement and trade demands, or his positive COVID test last season which led to the revelation that Rodgers was not vaccinated. I thought my dad had the coolest job in the world when he was DBs coach at Central Michigan.. The more of it LaFleur gets, the more of it he gives. Once he hits 50 total games coached, which will happen Week 1 of this season, he can take his rightful place atop the all-time winning percentage list for coaches, a spot currently occupied by Guy Chamberlin, last seen coaching the 1927 Chicago Cardinals and retiring in his mid-30s to become a farmer. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. While the Packers rarely draft receivers in the first round, theyve had great success finding them in the second including Greg Jennings (2006), Jordy Nelson (2008), Randall Cobb (2011), Davante Adams (2014) and Watson (2022). AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL, Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur speaks during the NFC head coaches availability at the NFL football meetings, Tuesday, March 28, 2023, in Phoenix. Josiah Deguara, who had 13 catches for 114 yards last season, is the top tight end under contract. Serving as the officiant of the marriage for teammate David Bakhtiari and Frankie Shebby at the Rosewood Miramar Hotel in Montecito, Calif., Rodgers undoubtedly was having thoughts beyond the everyday variety. When the team hosted kids and their families from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the coach noticed Rodgers did more than provide autographs like he was signing checks to pay bills. In LaFleurs second season, the Packers were trailing the Bucs 31-23 in the NFC Championship Game with 2:09 remaining when LaFleur called for a 26-yard field goal attempt on fourth down from the 8-yard line. Great hairline, great smile, and he dresses sharp.. That shit doesnt bother me, LaFleur said. He walks down the air-conditioned hallway back to his office. There wasnt anything other than, This guy will work his butt off, Saleh says now. His departure has firmly entrenched Jordan Love as the Packers star quarterback Head coach Matt LaFleur is all in on his new lead guy The Green Bay Packers have begun the process of moving on. One of the most obvious and clichd observations about pro football is also the most true: The head-coach-quarterback relationship is the most important part of the franchise. "I think he definitely understands that he's the guy in charge. I am not trying to compete with anybody else in the league. On March 5, the world was still awaiting confirmation that the NFLs reigning most valuable player planned to return to Green Bay. Assuming the Packers stay at 15, this would be just their second top-15 overall pick in the past 14 drafts. Said they are good friends and spoke Wednesday morning on the way into the office. Davante demanded so much of the ball because he was always open and if youve got a guy who is always open, you gotta give him the ball, Rodgers said. After the Saints stunned the Packers 38-3 in the opening game of the 2021 season, LaFleur said, Obviously, I didnt get these guys ready to play ball.. McDaniel explained that in 2009, the Texans let him go after he overslept for a handful of meetings. A lot of people would be like yes, sirand he was very very respectful, but he would ask why, McDaniel said. After four years in Washington, a brief stop at Notre Dame, and a move to Atlanta with Kyle Shanahan, LaFleur was a no-brainer hire to be McVays first offensive coordinator in Los Angeles in 2017. He gets reflective. They selected Michigan outside linebacker Rashan Gary with the No. He is a bottom-line guy. Is this where that bald-headed son of a bitch Bob Barringer lives? the caller demanded to know. Rodgers asked if he could speak with Clements first, and he subsequently began the recruiting process. Green Bay hasnt selected a wide receiver in the first round since taking Javon Walker from Florida State with the 20th overall pick in 2002. Teams are going to practice what theyve seen on tape, so take what theyve practiced and run the counter to it. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. And then LaFleur backed off. Our guys do a great job of taking them to heart.. One look at the Green Bay Packers depth chart shows they must find additional playmakers for Jordan Love as he prepares to take over at quarterback. Aaron is a great player, said Mark Murphy, the teams president and CEO. This period ended organicallya meeting here, a play there, a series of expansive Zoom calls before the 2020 season. Its a mindset. Theres nothing he cannot do. But privately, he extended a hand. And they take it like being attacked or something but hes just asking questions and being thorough. Stenavich said they recently changed the rules of a protection scheme not because LaFleur was angry, but because he just kept interrogating why they did it that way. The Packers also have one pick each in the second, third and fourth rounds, two picks in the fifth and four in the seventh. All rights reserved. The offensive coordinator of that Texans team certainly knew a hell of a lot about football. I told him, Hey, from my standpoint, you have to do what you think is right for your body.. LaFleur acknowledges his offense wont look the same without Adams, though the foundation will remain. He was supportive from the start.. DeVondre Campbell, a linebacker who broke out for the Packers last season, said that something as simple as LaFleur letting players sleep in their own bed the night before a home gamesomething Campbell has never seen at the NFL levelgives him freedom hes never experienced in the league. Its pretty cool. LaFleur acknowledges it took a minute for him and Rodgers to get on the same page. He watched Ryan Tannehill throw it as well as anyone in the league. Lafleur started a text conversation with Rodgers during his telecast and nearly responded by Facetiming him on live television. Much of that Houston staff departed for Washington in 2010 to work under Mike Shanahan. And we're excited for him.". In multiple conversations over the two days after the end of the Packers season, LaFleur made sure Rodgers knew how much he was wanted. That, in turn, forced Barry to blitz more to generate pressure, with limited success. Sean McVay, too. Its going to be different guys at different times. Players feed off their coaches. He wanted to give Rodgers time and space. His unit cost the Packers a deep playoff run. Clements is another spoke in the Packers wheel. LaFleur defended his decision to kick the field goal. Trailing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by eight with just two minutes remaining, LaFleur sent out the field goal team, cutting the Packers deficit to 31-26. The year the Packers traded Brett Favre and made Rodgers the starter, they drafted two quarterbacks, selecting Louisvilles Brian Brohm in the second round and LSUs Matt Flynn in the seventh. Theres almost a rom-com-y feel to how Rodgers and LaFleur talk about following each others careers long before they joined up. The best coaches push you to do things that youre uncomfortable with, Ryan says. LaFleur's. Im walking around a vast, carpeted locker room in Lambeau Field in early August trying to find out why, and generally succeeding: Players are explaining in detail his widely praised management style and describing his football mind, which blends the concepts hes loved for years with those embraced by his quarterback into the best playbook in the NFL. Rodgers is a rep guy who likes to practice a concept over and over to see if he feels comfortable. Matthew Patrick LaFleur ( / lflur / l-FLOO-r; [2] born November 3, 1979 [1]) is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Also at the wedding was Packers coach Matt LaFleur, who had the opportunity at the reception to lead Rodgers to the bar, offer him something strong and straight up, and make a pitch for Rodgers to come home with him. Ultimately, we were there to support David and Frankie, and I didnt want to take away from that experience.. LaFleur was intrigued by him because of Rodgers praise. We practice in this. I didnt know, I didnt want to ask [Rodgers], I didnt want to push it and make it go the other way. Rodgers signed a new contract a few days later. I just have so much trust in these guys that they are doing the right thing, LaFleur says. Hes so freaking good-looking, Rodgers said, in a dead serious tone. For others, they are growth experiences. Certainly we made our fair share of mistakes because they made plays and we didnt. And then last year against the 49ers in the divisional round: Obviously our defense balled out and we didnt play up to our standard offensively or on special teams., LaFleur said hes talked often with McVay about the playoffs. So if LaFleur was mad about something Rodgers said or did, he would take it out on the backup quarterbacks. But ahead of an all-important season, the fourth-year Packers . Thats artwork to me., His success, said Bengals coach Zac Taylor, who was on the 2017 Rams staff with LaFleur, it is so hard to do in this league. Highly possible, Rodgers said with a sly grin, one that youve probably seen hundreds of times on crisp autumn afternoons while hes throwing some overwhelmed NFC defense in a trash can. Copyright 2023 IBTimes LLC. That is special, really special.. He will do something even if its worse for him. LaFleur draws a line from those experiences to now, when he has to drown out noise on a weekly basis. Can we take some motion off to get some tempo practice? And he can say yes without being sensitive, Rodgers says. That exchange of ideas, LaFleur said, is what hes after. And in Houston the following year, LaFleurs first task was to draw the run plays for legendary offensive line coach Alex Gibbs. With more help at the tight end spot coming in the form of Tucker Kraft, an extra edge rusher in Colby Wooden and Virginia's Dontayvion Wicks for receiver depth, the Packers pretty much hit on all of their picksoutside of the Sean Clifford pick. Last year he lost to Mike Vrabel by 28 votes, and the prior two years he didnt even finish second. Its not about credentials at that point. The coach-quarterback relationship ultimately helped LaFleur build trust with his entire team.