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Packers can shore up pivotal role in Matt LaFleur's offense with tight ends in 2023 NFL Draft. I spent the majority of my offseason, I would say, trying to defuse the situation as best as we could, LaFleur says. "I don't really anticipate a whole . Clements is another spoke in the Packers wheel. That quickly changed. The media could not be loaded, either because the server or network failed or because the format is not supported. Hourly. In June, before his first season, LaFleur threw the first pitch at the Green and Gold charity softball game at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wis. His sons, Luke and Ty, were there, as was his quarterback. But the results are good., LaFleur has blended this offense with the best plays from McCarthys playbook, at Rodgerss request, the result of an exhaustive and collaborative effort to make the quarterback feel as comfortable as possible. There should be many more opportunities for the 42-year-old LaFleur, with or without the 38-year-old Rodgers. The Case for Matt LaFleur. And quite frankly, I thought hed be great for myself as well. The affection Rodgers has for his head coach is evident in the way he makes fun of him publicly. Bill Bender joins Craig to discuss who he believes could be the first tight end drafted at this year's NFL Draft. He creates an environment where he gets all the fluff out of the way and all that matters is studying the tape and getting the most out of players every single day.. Theres also one more evolution thats taken place. GREEN BAY Matt LaFleur knew he bombed the interview. A Rodgers trade could bring them more picks. I was like Holy shit, Ive got a lot to learn.. He has not won or made a Super Bowlsomething we talk about at lengthbut he is without a doubt one of the top coaches in the sport. The Packers took Christian Watson in the second round and Romeo Doubs in the fourth last year, but theyre the only Green Bay wideouts currently under contract who had at least 100 yards receiving last season. I put it to nearly everyone I spoke with for this story: Why doesnt LaFleur get as many plaudits as he should? Total Packers with Matt LaFleur: Rasul Douglas - Green Bay Packers Who is Matt LaFleur? Get to know the Packers' young head coach Bottom line, you gotta find a way to win. He said he wonders often what could be done differently. 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.. In LaFleurs first offseason, he saw something in Rodgers that made him take notice his big heart, in the words of LaFleur. 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. There wasnt anything other than, This guy will work his butt off, Saleh says now. I thought (Clements would) be great for him. 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). Talk to any former Shanahan assistant and youll get the same response. "We're going to have to add some bodies to that room," coach Matt LaFleur said last month at the NFL's owners meetings. We practice in this. The West Coast offense, what he was used to, is very guy for a guy when it comes to protection. He is, entering his fourth year, the longest-tenured head coach in his division, no doubt a byproduct of his rivals inability to reliably beat him. Lets find what the issue actually is and get to the root of what were talking about. Mason Crosby connected to narrow the gap to four points. That scheme, which is heavy on play-action, zone runs, and motion, has made winners out of less-talented passers like Jared Goff and Jimmy Garoppolo. We got to see that early on from Matty.. The more of it LaFleur gets, the more of it he gives. Motion, fakes. Because I troll Matt all the time.. The good news is that the offense is built for just that. He is, and I mean this with all sincerity, out of all the people that Ive known in life, in this profession or not, the most trustworthy human being Ive ever met, McDaniel said. I wasted a lot of my life playing. I explain that I dont think it was a waste, as were sitting on a training table in the massive indoor practice facility of the team hes led to 39 wins in three years. Tight end is an even greater need. LaFleur and Rodgers operate as part millennial Vince LombardiBart Starr and part bickering old married coupleif the old married couple won 80 percent of their football games and designed an offense that combined classic Shanahan-McVay principles with Rodgerss ability to lay waste to entire Midwestern cities. 12 pick in 2019. The Packers played in Green Bay last Christmas Day. Thats not just because he has to problem-solve an offense without one of the best receivers in football, but because he is entering Year 4 with one of the best quarterbacks of all time and they have yet to make a Super Bowl appearance. video Total Packers with Matt. The best coaches push you to do things that youre uncomfortable with, Ryan says. And hes a guy I have a special place in my heart for. You wanted to be the guy that found the play no one else had seen, you wanted to be the guy who watched the most tape, you wanted to be the guy who understood coverages the best, McDaniel said. 12 pick in 2019. who played one special teams snap and no offensive snaps as a rookie, was suspended the last six games of the season. Hes not confrontational, but hes not afraid of conflict, McDaniel said. In LaFleur's first three seasons, they had 13, 11 and 13 turnovers. In two of those seasons, Rodgers won the league MVP awardbut LaFleur has never been within 20 votes of Coach of the Year. When LaFleur realized how perturbed Rodgers was last offseason, Rodgers said his coach was on the next flight to visit him in Malibu, Calif. That was definitely meaningful to me, Rodgers says. Assuming the Packers stay at 15, this would be just their second top-15 overall pick in the past 14 drafts. He ran a basic pro-style offense there that was successful, if not wildly creative. Matt LaFleur Addresses Packers DC Joe Barry's Future - Heavy.com The Green Bay Packers announced running back Kylin Hill and punter Amari Rodgers, both 2021 draft picks, were released this week following Sunday's overtime victory over the Cowboys. The Packers drafted a third receiver Samori Toure in the seventh round last year. Rodgers was messing around with me quite a bit, LaFleur says. All logic points to the Packers signing him to an extension in the coming months that would lock him into Green Bay for years and make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the NFL. Aaron is a great player, said Mark Murphy, the teams president and CEO. So whether you were vaxed or unvaxed, it doesnt shield you from it. LaFleur started in the coaching ranks as an offensive assistant at his alma mater in 2003, moved to Central Michigan in 2004, and eventually became offensive coordinator at Ashland University in 2007, the first place he ever called plays. As a leader, you have to own everything, he explains. But, as Saleh said, LaFleurs strength at that time was work ethic, not scheme. Whether you are leading a football team, an offense or an office, guys will follow you if you show them how much it means to you and how hard you work, more than what you say, Rodgers said in January. Mike LaFleur said he and McDaniel spoke recently and both said they didnt even realize how much theyd learned until they left Shanahan. Sign up and stay up to date with our daily newsletter. Its going to be different guys at different times. Whether its real or not doesnt matter. The reporter did not check to see whether the drug was banned by the NFL. 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. This, a handful of Packers told me, is the backbone of the team. Ill always wish him well.. 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. While playing in Kalamazoo, LaFleur was the backup to Tim Lester, who would eventually become Western Michigan's head coach from 2017 to 2022. I think it's going to be a process, but one I know that he can handle," LaFleur went on to mention. McVays viewpoint on playoff mentality is simple: The best team doesnt always win. Rodgers talked him through it and wiggled the tooth for him. He believes it was evident in how the Packers played. Citing the Packers traditional reluctance to take a pass catcher in the first round and the lack of safety prospects worth selecting that early, McShay suggested Green Bay might take a pass rusher at No. Hes ready. Take for instance, LaFleurs first year. He has a calmness to him, Murphy said. And so does Kyle Shanahan, who LaFleur worked for in Houston, Washington, and Atlantathough Shanahan calls it drift. It can be, LaFleur said, an uncomfortable play for the quarterback: a quick-hitting, five-step pass (or six steps if youre moving to the left) from under center. This week's guest DL Jarran Reed. LaFleur has said he learned to cut his own hair during college. "I think he definitely understands that he's the guy in charge. Its not about me, its about everybody else. In multiple conversations over the two days after the end of the Packers season, LaFleur made sure Rodgers knew how much he was wanted. Davante knows how I feel about him, LaFleur says. So now I can say, Matt, every freaking play in this practice has motion on it. But Murphy said he felt LaFleur might have known more about the organization that he did in the interviewnot just roster or schemes, but history, too. But ahead of an all-important season, the fourth-year Packers . Matt LaFleur's ability to build trust, starting with Aaron Rodgers, is Congratulations, LaFleur. The interview was four hours and it felt like 15 minutes, Murphy said. That meant many conversations with Rodgers, and many more with Murphy, Gutekunst and Ball, trying to move both sides closer to middle ground. But they worked on it. Follow Dan on Twitter @danpompei, After a bumpy start, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and quarterback Aaron Rodgers have developed a strong working relationship. So I think a lot of people say, Oh OK, youve got a Hall of Fame quarterback. But Matts a big reason that the Hall of Fame quarterback won the MVP the last two years., A lot of people want to discredit him because he has a Hall of Fame quarterback, but the reality is hes done a phenomenal job capturing a really cool locker room in terms of star players and talent and getting them all to play at a very high level, said Jets coach Robert Saleh, a longtime friend and former coworker of LaFleurs. For others, they are growth experiences. I think Mike Tomlin has said this, and I thought it was a great way of articulating it, but there was almost a youthful arrogance and blissfulness that allowed us to, regardless of the results, put our heads down and work and be [feel] really fortunate to be in the roles we had, said McVay. Matt LaFleur bombed an interview 5 years ago to be Maryland's WR coach How Matt LaFleur will get Jordan Love ready for Packers' starting job And so the toxins in the relationship between Rodgers and the Packers began to pass. Many times, the lessons you learn from defeats are most impactful than what you learn from when you succeed.. LaFleur called off the practice. Although the Packers could take a running back in the late rounds, its not a need. He was completely infuriated but he never let anyone know. First of all, he's earned the respect of his actionsthe way he worksfrom all his teammates, I would say. FILE - In this Jan. 3, 2021, file photo, Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, left, talks to Aaron Rodgers during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago. Last year he lost to Mike Vrabel by 28 votes, and the prior two years he didnt even finish second. And then LaFleur backed off. LaFleur visited Rodgers in California a second time in 2021 before Rodgers acquiesced to playing for the Packers last season. LaFleur has the same job: Make Rodgerss tape look better than it used to be, an increasingly high bar. This was in the wake of Rodgers positive test for COVID-19. Im going through that with my own kids right now., As a kid, LaFleurs mom took him to Central Michigan practices, but he said he didnt soak it in as much as he could have. This thing doesnt operate with just one dude. I just have so much trust in these guys that they are doing the right thing, LaFleur says. To me, if edge is a priority, thats probably where youre going to get your best value (at 15), McShay said. Matt is a big part of that puzzle of why to get up every morning, Lewis said. And at that stage, 99 percent of coaches wouldnt have had that security. He has such a calm, cool demeanor that I think anybody would gravitate towards him.. And we're excited for him.". While he also had three interceptions over the same span, it can be attributed to part of the growing pains that a young quarterback will have with the lack of snaps afforded to him. Copyright IBTimes 2023. LaFleur said almost nothing publicly about the controversy during the season, sidestepping questions. Transfer exodus at Colorado unprecedented in portal era - Yahoo News 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. Packers' Matt LaFleur Mocks Vikings Tradition Ahead of Opener - Heavy.com After GM Howie Roseman made seven trades, Philadelphia finished the weekend with seven picks and more 2024 ammo. He watched Ryan Tannehill throw it as well as anyone in the league. Its not about credentials at that point. Its just gonna get distributed among the guys that we have here, Rodgers said. LaFleur's not going to scream or lecture and he's not so self-absorbed to take his eye off the road. Critics Say This Anecdote Shows Ex-Notre Dame Coach Brian - HuffPost Take the emotion out of it, and be able to have an honest conversation without being triggered or sensitive by what was said. So he was no. He was just very humble and such a perfectionist at that point in his career that it made him really mad when he didnt know things. The pro game, McDaniel said, was a specific world compared to other levels of football, and the other staff members in Houston were deeply rooted in it. Said they are good friends and spoke Wednesday morning on the way into the office. 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. So this story Im asking the QB to confirmthat he and other guests at David Bakhtiaris wedding in March made jokes to LaFleur about Rodgers retiring, before Rodgers had actually made a decisionjust flows with all the rest. All in all, the Packers have retooled their roster to better fit Love's skill sets and it will only be a matter of time before that manifests into something big. Those are some of the most special memories my kids will have, LaFleur says of interactions with Rodgers. I Want To Believe: . With all eyes on Jordan Love leading the franchise, head coach Matt LaFleur is backing his new QB1. LaFleurs coaching staff has changed more than in any year since he was named head coach, with four additions and five promotions. LaFleurs retorts usually arent for public consumption. Franklin, who has known LaFleur since they were graduate assistants at Central Michigan in 2005, says he perceived a decrease in LaFleurs anxiety last season. Our guys do a great job of taking them to heart.. McVay said he looks for a handful of things in an assistant: character, capacity to learn, communication skills, and knowledge of the game from an all-22 perspectivemeaning every position. 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). But they face two major questions: How can they account for their lack of playoff success over the past three years, and how will they attempt to replace a superstar wideout? But Rodgers did not love all of the motion in the offense. Now, heres the hard part: On March 18, the Packers traded away All-Pro receiver Davante Adams for a first- and second-round pick. I liked to be coached. The group effort means personnel and schemes. And why the Packers are 39-10 under LaFleur. But ahead of an all-important season, the fourth-year Packers coach knows he still has questions to answerand a big opportunity to do just that. Sometimes these lessons go the other way. G reen Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur may have just asked for a migraine when Green Bay visits the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium. If I can stand up and say I could have done things better, I think people are more receptive to accepting constructive criticism.. If Rodgers was ticked off at LaFleur, hed get frustrated and stew. This period ended organicallya meeting here, a play there, a series of expansive Zoom calls before the 2020 season. Im in Green Bay to find out why more people dont say that. You dont always see the superstars do that, LaFleur says. Ty, five at the time, had a loose tooth. His response reflected rule No. The spring transfer period in college football closed Sunday night with 43 scholarship players -- the equivalent of half a roster -- from Sanders' program having entered the portal since more than 40,000 fans showed up at Folsom Field in Boulder for Colorado's spring game on April 15. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst, president Mark Murphy and director of football operations Russ Ball also were involved in the discussions. It eventually came out, giving Ty a story that he might tell his grandkids. On the day I was at practice, a reporter asked LaFleur whether he was worried about Rodgers being suspended for admitting to using ayahuasca on a podcast. (AP Photo/Matt York), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Everybody knows coaches are almost inept about everyday activities like dressing themselves, doing laundry or self-grooming, Rodgers says. But the Packers do have to find a way to replace his production. He also gave embattled defensive coordinator Joe Barry a vote of confidence. Packers enter draft needing to find more playmakers for Love The week after the Saturday Christmas Day game, the Packers had an extra practice scheduled. Could you imagine if we could ever find a guy like that? He is so good, in fact, that LaFleur fights the urge to let him pass on every play. But those undiscovered moments helped bring LaFleur and Rodgers together and keep them together through the coming turbulence. Daily. Obviously I would rather have him on my team than someone elses, but we know that in this industry, nothing is forever., Well, Ill be honest with you, LaFleur begins. But when I asked McDaniel my last questionWhats one thing I wouldnt know about LaFleur?he got far more serious. No, he said. LaFleurs beginnings have been more successful than the beginnings of his Packers predecessor, who also inherited a Hall of Fame quarterback. I have 100 percent trust with him. Theyre always the most important. Someone else would be Maryland's wide receivers coach. Rodgers asked if he could speak with Clements first, and he subsequently began the recruiting process. Join Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur and analyst Larry McCarren as they recap the regular season finale vs. the Detroit Lions. Despite all that was lost that day, more trust was won. Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur turned down a chance to make the Super Bowl. The depth of this draft class at receiver and particularly at tight end could push the Packers toward using the 15th overall pick to address other needs, such as adding a safety or a pass rusher. The wedding story starts where all LaFleur stories do: with the coach trying to give everyone space to be themselves. The Packers Miss Super Bowl Thanks to Terrible 4th Down Decision - Insider The argument LaFleur suffers from is that hes a beneficiary of Rodgerss talent. I asked Rodgers if theres anything hed like to do differently if they make the playoff this season. It wasnt the time or place to put the pressure on him. He wanted to give Rodgers time and space. He always says, Man, the NFL playoffs is the closest thing to March Madness, its going to be super competitive and theres always lessons you can take from your triumphs and defeatsprobably more so when you come up short.. The way he does it is organic and yet purposeful. What are you just going to bang your head against the wall? There was also 10-Yard Fight, an obscure video game LaFleur loved as a kid, Tecmo Bowl, and, according to his brother, a lot of EA Sports NCAA Football. You want to earn that trust, and then you want to keep it, Campbell said. That is the most satisfying part of the entire operation: When theres a [play] that hes kind of on the fence about, and then he starts to really, truly like it., I just have such a belief in him, LaFleur continues. And the return of Rodgers whose history suggests he will bring out the best in other receivers looks even more significant now than Adams is a Raider. LaFleur has become more than a head coach for the Packers. On March 5, the world was still awaiting confirmation that the NFLs reigning most valuable player planned to return to Green Bay. But I feel like I have to get him on the record: Why doesnt he get enough credit? Patrick MahomesAndy Reid, Bill BelichickTom Brady, Sean McVayMatthew Stafford: All three of these partnerships are drastically different, but you cannot tell the story of one man without the other. 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. 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. You have to learn from every situation you are in, LaFleur says. And in Houston the following year, LaFleurs first task was to draw the run plays for legendary offensive line coach Alex Gibbs. And until he started getting all that positive deal about what a hot coach he was, now hes finally letting somebody else cut his hair. LaFleur has confirmed this bombshell. A relationship that falters, even for one series in one game, can alter the course of the franchise forever. LaFleur has one year remaining on his initial Packers contract, and the team holds another option year. Green Bay needed someone to add depth to the quarterback spot behind Love and while Clifford may not have been the ideal selection then, the Packers see something in him that might serve him well as a backup. He did know ball, said McDaniel, who was on that 2008 Texans staff. Teams are going to practice what theyve seen on tape, so take what theyve practiced and run the counter to it. LaFleur defended his decision to kick the field goal. I told him Im here for him and I support him, LaFleur says. People have to make the best decision for themselves. And theyre gonna make you throw the football? FIRST ALERT WEATHER: Wintry mix lingers around Knowing that we both come to it just wanting to do whats best for the team and with love and respect for each other.. Five months after that, hes back making fun of his coachs hair. Its important to really think about how we talk because our words are spells. Hes so freaking good-looking, Rodgers said, in a dead serious tone. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and head coach Matt LaFleur watch from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in .