The Green Bay Packers faced a shocking end to their season on Saturday night, as they squandered a 21-6 lead in the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears during the wild-card round of the playoffs. This defeat marked a second consecutive year in which the Packers exited the postseason before reaching the divisional round, igniting discussions about the future of head coach Matt LaFleur, whose contract runs through the end of the 2026 season.
In the wake of the heartbreaking loss, LaFleur refrained from addressing his job security directly. “With all due respect to your question, now is not the time for that,” he stated. “I mean, I”m just hurting for these guys. I can only think about what just happened. There will be time for that.”
The loss to the Bears came just a day after reports indicated that the Packers were planning to initiate contract extension discussions with LaFleur, suggesting that securing an extension was a shared objective. Over his seven seasons in Green Bay, LaFleur has achieved a record of 76 wins, 40 losses, and one tie, alongside three division championships and five playoff appearances. However, his playoff record stands at 3-6, which now includes three straight postseason losses following this latest setback.
According to NFL Network”s Ian Rapoport, LaFleur”s future with the team would not hinge solely on the outcome of the playoff matchup against Chicago. Nonetheless, the abrupt end to the Packers” season—having blown a 21-3 halftime lead—coupled with the unexpected availability of Super Bowl-winning coach John Harbaugh, adds uncertainty to LaFleur”s status.
Despite the speculation, starting quarterback Jordan Love expressed his confidence in LaFleur, stating, “Yeah, I definitely think Matt should be the head coach. I got a lot of love for Matt. I think he does a great job, and that”s it.”
Reflecting on the loss, LaFleur shared his deep emotional connection to the team. “It means everything to me,” he said, visibly moved. “I mean, this is the greatest organization in the world in my opinion. And it”s very humbling. And I”m certainly disappointed right now. I”m disappointed for everybody that”s associated with the Green Bay Packers. I”m disappointed for our locker room. I”m disappointed for our fans. I”m disappointed for our leadership, all our employees. Everybody involved with the Green Bay Packers.”
