Are the Packers Stuck in the NFL’s Middle Class? The Numbers - and the Results - Say Yes
The Green Bay Packers are one of the most storied franchises in NFL history. From Vince Lombardi to Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers, this is a team that doesn’t just wear tradition on its sleeve - it built the league’s legacy brick by brick.
But if you strip away the nostalgia and look at the current state of the franchise, one thing becomes clear: the Packers, right now, are stuck in the middle. And that’s not just a hot take - it’s a reality that’s becoming harder to ignore.
Let’s be honest - the end of the 2025 season was tough to watch for Packers fans. After clawing their way into the playoffs, Green Bay dropped five straight to close the campaign, including a gut-punch of a postseason loss to the Chicago Bears.
That’s not just a bad finish - it’s a collapse. And it’s the kind of finish that has fans, rightly, asking hard questions about where this team is heading under head coach Matt LaFleur.
There were calls for LaFleur’s job after the season ended. That’s not unusual when a team with this much history underperforms, but what makes it sting more is the pattern.
This wasn’t a one-off. It's becoming the norm.
The Packers have now made the playoffs multiple times under LaFleur, but each time, the ending feels the same: a team that flashes potential, then fades when it matters most.
NBC Sports analyst Patrick Daugherty didn’t hold back in his recent season recap, calling the Packers “the most middle class of franchises.” And while that might sound harsh, it’s hard to argue with his reasoning.
“The Packers did it again,” Daugherty wrote. “An absurdly efficient offense, albeit one with an identity crisis.
A defense that falters at all the wrong moments. A playoff season, but one that ends in wretched disappointment.”
That’s the formula, isn’t it? Green Bay continues to field a team good enough to compete - even to win - during the regular season.
But when the lights get brighter, the execution falters. The offense can look sharp for stretches but lacks a clear identity.
The defense? It shows up just long enough to give fans hope, then disappears when the game’s on the line.
Daugherty’s critique cuts deeper when he describes the Packers as playing “polite football.” That’s not a compliment.
It’s a reminder that this team, once defined by boldness and swagger - whether it was Favre’s gunslinging or Rodgers’ surgical precision - now feels like it’s playing not to lose. Respectable, yes.
Dangerous? Not really.
And that’s the problem. The Packers aren’t bad.
They’re never truly awful. But they’re not great either.
They command respect, but they’re not feared. They’re competitive, but they’re not contenders.
They’re always in the mix, but rarely in the spotlight when it matters most.
It’s a strange place to be for a franchise that proudly calls itself “Title Town.”
When you stack them up against the league’s current elite, the gap becomes even more glaring. Since the Packers last hoisted the Lombardi Trophy over 15 years ago, the Patriots have been to 12 Super Bowls and won six.
The Chiefs have five Super Bowl appearances and three wins since 2019. The Eagles have made three trips and won two since 2017.
Even the Seahawks have two titles and three appearances in that span.
Meanwhile, Green Bay has made just one Super Bowl appearance in the 21st century. One.
Yes, they’ve maintained one of the NFL’s highest winning percentages since 1966. That’s no small feat.
But winning in the regular season only gets you so far. In a league that measures greatness in rings, banners, and confetti, the Packers’ trophy case has been collecting dust for far too long.
So where does that leave them?
Not in the basement - they’re far from a rebuilding mess. But they’re not at the top either.
Not even close. They’re in the middle.
Consistently good, rarely great. And in today’s NFL, that’s the hardest place to be - because it’s the easiest place to get stuck.
Maybe LaFleur’s sixth playoff exit will be the wake-up call this franchise needs. Maybe not. But one thing’s for sure: if the Packers want to reclaim their spot among the league’s elite, “good enough” can’t be good enough anymore.