The Green Bay Packers are expected to hire Matt LaFleur as their next head coach, sources told ESPN.
LaFleur spent last season as the Tennessee Titans' offensive coordinator and previously worked under Sean McVay for the Los Angeles Rams and Kyle Shanahan with the Atlanta Falcons.
Both McVay and Shanahan are considered offensive innovators, and the Packers want their next head coach to get Aaron Rodgers back to an MVP level.
LaFleur replaces Mike McCarthy, who was 135-85-2 but was fired with four games left in his 12th NFL season. A source said LaFleur would like to keep defensive coordinator Mike Pettine on board. Pettine just completed his first season with the Packers.
The Packers zeroed in on LaFleur after interviewing 10 candidates: former Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell; former Colts head coach Chuck Pagano; Packers interim head coach Joe Philbin; New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels; Patriots linebackers coach/defensive play-caller Brian Flores; New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr.; Saints assistant head coach/tight ends coach Dan Campbell; Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Todd Monken; and former Miami Dolphins head coach Adam Gase.
Born and raised Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Playing career
LaFleur attended Western Michigan Universityfrom 1998 to 1999 where he played wide receiverbefore transferring in 2000 to Saginaw Valley State, where he played quarterback from 2000 to 2002. LaFleur briefly played in the National Indoor Football League with the Omaha Beef, where he was the backup quarterback. The following summer, LaFleur signed with the Billings Outlaws.
Coaching career
College[edit]
LaFleur's coaching career began at his alma mater, Saginaw Valley State, in 2003 where he served as an offensive graduate assistant. During which time Matt also substitute taught in the local highschools, specializing in math. He proceeded to Central Michigan University where, from 2004–2005, he assisted the offensive staff. In 2006, he coached quarterbacks and receivers at Northern Michigan University. He was the offensive coordinator at Ashland University in 2007. In 2014 he served as the quarterbacks coach at the University of Notre Dame.
Houston Texans
LaFleur then was hired in 2008 by the Houston Texans to serve as an offensive assistant. He assisted both wide receivers and quarterbacks during his two-year stint there and developed a close relationship with coordinator Kyle Shanahan.
Washington Redskins
When Shanahan's father Mike was hired by the Redskins, Kyle brought LaFleur to Washington to coach the quarterbacks.[2] A primary responsibility of LaFleur's for the 2012 season was to mentor rookie quarterbacks Robert Griffin III and Kirk Cousins, whom LaFleur was particularly fond of.[3]
Atlanta Falcons
On February 5, 2015, LaFleur was hired to be the Quarterbacks coach for the Atlanta Falcons working under offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, whom he previously had worked under when with the Washington Redskins. Matt's brother, Mike, was the offensive assistant with the Falcons as well.[4]
In the 2016 season, LaFleur and the Falcons reached Super Bowl LI, where they faced the New England Patriots on February 5, 2017. In the Super Bowl, the Falcons fell in a 34–28 overtime defeat.[5]
Los Angeles Rams
On February 8, 2017, LaFleur joined the Los Angeles Rams coaching staff as the offensive coordinator, working under Head Coach Sean McVay, whom he previously had worked with during his tenure with the Washington Redskins.[6]
Tennessee Titans
On January 30, 2018, LaFleur left his position with the Rams to take the same position with the Tennessee Titans.[7] Joining new head coach Mike Vrabel, LaFleur had the opportunity of calling the plays for the Titans, essentially being a promotion from his former position as offensive coordinator with the Rams.