The Green Bay Packers are facing a great deal of uncertainty this offseason following yet another early exit from the NFL Playoffs. After falling to the Chicago Bears 31-27 in an epic collapse on Saturday night, there is a great deal of speculation that Green Bay and head coach Matt LaFleur could part ways. And while the team has made it known they want to retain their head coach, they have not yet come to an agreement despite days of negotiating.
In addition to the uncertainty surrounding LaFleur, the Packers also are facing the likelihood of having to find a new backup quarterback to Jordan Love. Malik Willis, who served in that role for the last two years, is a free agent and is expected to sign elsewhere because his play in Green Bay has some believing he can be a starter in the NFL.
And one NFL analyst believes LaFleur and Willis could end up in the same place.
ESPN analyst believes the Green Bay Packers could lose Matt LaFleur and Malik Willis to the Pittsburgh Steelers
On Monday night, former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his Pittsburgh Steelers were knocked out of the NFL Playoffs by the Houston Texans. On Tuesday, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, who had been in that role for 19 years, announced that he was stepping down from Pittsburgh.
Rodgers, who is 42 years old, is contemplating retirement (again). And even if he does come back for one more NFL season, he is not under contract with Pittsburgh for 2026.
Now, the Steelers find themselves in a situation where they need both a new head coach and a new quarterback. Dan Orlovsky of ESPN thinks that they could find the answer to both their needs in Green Bay:
“The first step I would do is then call Matt LaFleur if I was the Pittsburgh Steelers, and I would jump at the opportunity to hire him. Then I would figure out a way to get Malik Willis as my quarterback. And then, all of a sudden, I’m in a situation where Pittsburgh now becomes a little more relevant because this fits that quarterback void they have.”
In two seasons with the Packers, Willis had a 78.7% completion percentage, 972 passing yards, six touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 134.6 six in 11 games played (three starts).
Pittsburgh is certainly a realistic landing spot for him given their quarterback situation, but it still remains to be seen what the Packers will ultimately decide in regard to LaFleur. If he is let go, the Steelers suddenly become an option for him as well, though many NFL teams will be showing interest in him as well.
Additionally, the Steelers tend to favor defensive-minded coaches, and LaFleur is an offensive-minded coach.
Still, the situation described above by Orlovsky is not completely unrealistic. The next few days at 1265 Lombardi Avenue are certainly going to be interesting.
More Green Bay Packers news from Wisconsin Sports Heroics
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- Packers loss to Bears labeled as “all-time” collapse
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