The Green Bay Packers are heading back to the drawing board for the 2026 NFL season following their disappointing and frustrating loss to the Chicago Bears in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Despite being up by three scores entering the fourth quarter, the Packers could not seal the deal, and allowed 25 points in one of the most humiliating defeats in team playoff history.
Following the loss, many Packers fans called on team President and CEO Ed Policy to move on from head coach Matt LaFleur. Despite the fact that Green Bay has made the postseason in each of the past three seasons and has only missed the playoffs once in his seven years as head coach, the fan base is starved for a Super Bowl title and obviously feel that LaFleur is not the man who can lead them to the promised land.
The Packers, though, seem to think differently.
The Green Bay Packers are trying to work out a contract extension with head coach Matt LaFleur
While many fans want LaFleur gone, reports state that Green Bay is currently engaged in contract extension talks with their head coach. While nothing is official, it appears more than likely that he will return to the Packers in 2026 and beyond.
And even though this may not be the news that disgruntled fans want to hear, Green Bay has good reason to keep LaFleur around.
1. Matt LaFleur has the respect of Packers players
Many NFL head coaches that get fired either during or after a season have clearly lost the locker room and the respect of their players. This is not the case for LaFleur, who has constantly received praise from Packers players for the work he has done with them.
Following the loss to Chicago, running back Josh Jacobs advocated for his head coach, stating that he wants him to stay:
Josh Jacobs made it very clear postgame where he stands on Matt LaFleur’s future with this #Packers team: “I’m gonna stand firm on wanting him to be the head coach and wanting to figure something out with him.” pic.twitter.com/DeDEczbnyH
— Kyle Malzhan (@KyleMalzhan) January 11, 2026
Jacobs is all-too-familiar with coaching turnover and what that can do to an organization thanks to his years with the Las Vegas Raiders. There is something to be said for a player who has gone through and witnessed what he did with his past organization to say something like this about LaFleur and his future.
2. Matt LaFleur’s Packers offense was limited with injuries
Coach LaFleur himself has stated that injuries are not an excuse for how much the Packers struggled down the stretch. Indeed, every NFL team suffers significant injuries and the best ones find a way to overcome them.
That being said, Green Bay did not get a single offensive snap in 2025 with all of Jordan Love, Jacobs, Tucker Kraft, Christian Watson, and Jayden Reed on the field together. Watson did not make his season debut until the halfway point of the season, and by that time Kraft was out for the year with a torn ACL.
Reed missed a significant portion of the season due to broken collar bone, Love missed time with a concussion, and Jacobs played through a knee injury for much of the second half of the year.
With all of these players back and presumably healthy in 2026, Green Bay’s offense should reach heights greater than those of the past three seasons.
3. Matt LaFleur developed Packers quarterback Jordan Love
When LaFleur took over as head coach, he had the benefit of having future Pro Football Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers as his starting quarterback. Soon after, Green Bay drafted Love despite his imperfections as Rodgers’ eventual successor.
And despite the doubt of many fans regarding the decision to move on from Rodgers (who won two NFL MVP Awards in LaFleur’s system), Love has emerged as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
It was the time and dedication of LaFleaur, as well as others, who helped Love realize the potential that he had coming out of college. As the Packers have put faith in Love as their franchise quarterback, they want to do the same with the head coach who made him who he is.
More Green Bay Packers news from Wisconsin Sports Heroics
- Matt LaFleur chimes in on Josh Jacobs’ fumbled kick return in Packers loss to Bears
- Packers’ Brandon McManus hit with backlash after comments on embarrassing performance vs Bears
- Matt LaFleur breaks silence after Packers suffer crushing loss to Bears
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