Traditionally, Green Bay is not an organization that makes knee-jerk decisions regarding its leadership. However, it was fair to wonder if the Packers had already reached their maximum potential with LaFleur at the helm, especially considering the fashion in which they collapsed multiple times against the favored Bears, a team that Aaron Rodgers had once infamously played for during his time with the Packers.
In Week 16, Green Bay blew a 16-6 lead in the fourth quarter and lost, 22-16, in overtime. A month later, Green Bay lost its fifth straight to end the season, falling, 31-27, to the Bears in the Wild Card round despite holding a 21-3 lead in the first half. After previously winning 11 straight against the Bears, the Packers have now lost three of four in the contest, losing back-to-back games in the NFL’s oldest rivalry for the first time since 2007.
Those who thought a change might be necessary pointed to those deficiencies and a general bad vibe around the team in 2025. LaFleur acknowledged that when he spoke to reporters at the league’s annual meeting on Tuesday, explaining that he plans to address the issue with a reset for 2026 that will involve dismantling the offense to just come down and just reinstall him.
Lesser, more self-driven coaches would scoff at such an approach, pointing to LaFleur’s track record — a 76-40-1 record in seven seasons with six playoff appearances — as proof they didn’t need to change anything and likely repeat the same mistakes. Not LaFleur, who is very aware of his surroundings and isn’t too proud to make changes when necessary.
“To be honest about it, I think there were some guys that were upset about roles last year and I think that took a toll on our football team,” LaFleur said this week, via ESPN .
“I think from a coaching standpoint, role clarity is the key. So obviously we’ve got to do a better job of communicating with our players, ‘Hey, here’s your role and if you’re unhappy with your role, it’s up to you to do something about it, to shape a role on this football team.’
Green Bay has built a roster strong enough to compete for Super Bowls and acted as such when it made a blockbuster deal for All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons just before the start of the 2025 season. Now, however, the Packers must live up to those expectations.
Judging by LaFleur’s answers, he is not resting on his laurels. A few losses for the former little brother (Chicago) should be bitter enough to motivate him more than ever.