While it hasn’t been officially announced by the Green Bay Packers yet, Matt LaFleur was extended and will be the coach of the Green Bay Packers next season. On balance I think this was the right move. It has been a strange off-season for teams in the business of replacing coaches. Just look at the situation in Buffalo. They fire their long term coach that has had a ton of regular season success. Then, despite having Josh Allen, they are rejected by a number of coaches. Even by bizarre choices like Phil Rivers, and eventually settled on simply promoting their OC.
I bring up the situation in Buffalo first, because in terms of roster quality they are the closest in situation to the Packers of any of the openings. The coaching search in Buffalo wasn’t the only odd one though this season. Three teams are still searching, while several of the other seven went with second or even third time HC hires. Outside of Stefanski to Atlanta and Harbaugh to New York, its hard to call any of these hires particularly exciting. Had the Packers chosen to move on from LaFleur, its hard to point to anyone that would’ve felt like a material upgrade.
Keeping LaFleur in light of these other searches was the right move. However, despite the extension I think LaFleur could be coaching for his job next season.
The Packers Are All In For The Near Future
Trading two first round picks for Micah Parsons is an undisputed signal that GM Brian Gutekunst views this Packers team as one ready and able to compete for a Super Bowl. Obviously that’s not what happened this season. Injuries were the main culprit of the demise of the 2026 Packers. Injuries prevented the offensive line from ever being able to coalesce. It cost the team three of its best five players in the playoffs.
Even going back to the season before last injuries played a huge role in the Packers playoff woes. Green Bay had lost their top three receivers and multiple starting lineman by halftime against the Eagles.
That all being said, the NFL is a what have you done lately league. Injuries and youth can provide a buffer, but at this point another 7th seed one and done trip to the playoffs isn’t going to cut it. Green Bay has the quarterback:
They have a difference makers at every level of the defense as well. While the roster does have holes, those should hopefully be addressed between free agency and the draft, it is a win now squad. So the youth and quality of the roster isn’t going to be crutch MLF can fall back on anymore.
The New Coaching Staff
Perhaps even more so than the state of the roster, the coaching staff LaFleur brings in to the ’26-’27 season may be what determines his fate.
The first big move was obviously replacing Jeff Hafley with Jonathan Gannon. In my piece last week I was not enthusiastic about Gannon as the guy. I wanted Jim Leonhard, and judging by reactions from Packers fans many shared that sentiment. While I still think it was foolish for Green Bay to not wait and interview him, there are reasons to believe Gannon can run this defense well.
Gannon was the defensive coordinator for two very good Eagles defenses. That’s what got him the Cardinals job in the first place. While that didn’t go well, the difference in roster quality between Arizona and Green Bay is notable. If the Packers can add help on the defensive line and secondary, as long as Parsons is back early there’s no reason this defense can’t be a top ten unit.
Gannon will need to replace outgoing linebacker and secondary coaches as well, which is something to keep an eye on.
The more concerning coaching situation right now however is the Rich Bisaccia remains on this staff, and by some accounts will continue to do so for next year. We don’t need to rehash the multitude of ways that special teams has cost this franchise not only this season, but seasons prior. We all know it’s been bad. If Bisaccia does end up remaining on this staff, and his unit costs the Packers again, I don’t know how this front office separates the decision to keep him from LaFleur’s performance in its entirety.
If the guy you decide to keep after his unit costs the team the season, has that unit perform similarly the next season, that’s on the head coach, and it should cost him his job.
What Is A Successful Season for the 2026 Packers?
A NFC Championship appearance would be my floor for what success looks like for the Packers next year. The roster is in good shape. The team has the answer at QB and enough difference makers on defense. The right coaching should have this team knocking on the door of a Super Bowl.
Not making the playoffs would lead to a house cleaning of both the coaching staff and front office. Another one and done likely sees a new head coach in 2027. Anything better than that likely comes down to circumstances.
So don’t let the extension fool you. This is a coaching staff with a lot on the line next season.
