While speaking with reporters on Monday, Green Bay Packers
star pass-rusher Micah Parsons made it known he wants to continue playing for Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur.
Later in the day, some of Parsons’ teammates echoed his comments.
Packers players feel Matt LaFleur “belongs” in Green Bay
“I think he belongs here, man,” Packers receiver Jayden Reed said about LaFleur, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN. “The past three years I’ve been here, I’ve been in the playoffs every year. He’s created a winning atmosphere here. I think he’s a great coach. I don’t really have any opinions of others in that situation. I feel pretty good about him.”
Packers team president Ed Policy seems to agree with Reed, as it was reported Monday that the club is “expected to try to work out a deal in the coming days” with LaFleur. LaFleur is only under contract through next season, and some linked the Packers with former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh even before Green Bay blew an 18-point lead en route to suffering a 31-27 wild-card playoff loss to the rival Chicago Bears over the weekend.
“I think Matt’s an outstanding head coach,” Packers tight end Tucker Kraft said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that he’ll remain here as a Packer. I think a lot of that talk is pretty silly.”
Aaron Rodgers goes to bat for Matt LaFleur
Current Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had LaFleur as a head coach with the Packers from 2019 through the 2022 season. Following the Steelers’ 30-6 wild-card playoff loss to the Houston Texans on Monday night, Rodgers responded to a question regarding the uncertain future of Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin by defending both Tomlin and LaFleur.
“I mean, this league has changed a lot in my 21 years,” Rodgers said, according to Michael Silver of The Athletic. “You know, when you hear the conversation about the Mike Tomlins of the world, Matt LaFleurs of the world … when I first got in the league, there wouldn’t be conversation about whether those guys were on the hot seat. … For either of those two guys to be on the hot seat is really apropos of where we’re at as a society and as a league, because obviously Matt has done a lot of great things in Green Bay.”
Monday’s update indicated those running the Packers believe LaFleur will do more great things with Green Bay. Until a deal is inked, however, questions about his status will continue to hover over the Packers until further notice. While LaFleur has never guided the Packers to a single Super Bowl appearance, Green Bay has qualified for the playoffs six times across seven seasons under his watch.