The conversation around Matt LaFleur’s job security has gotten louder, but the Green Bay Packers coach still doesn’t look like the NFL’s biggest problem case.
LaFleur has been floated as a coach whose seat is warming up, and that talk has only grown as the Packers’ struggles in big moments keep piling up. Still, putting him all the way up near the top of a hot seat ranking feels like a stretch when there are other coaches around the league with more immediate pressure hanging over them.
FanSided’s Jake Beckman placed LaFleur second in his hot seat power rankings, but the names behind him tell a different story. Zac Taylor of the Cincinnati Bengals, Shane Steichen of the Indianapolis Colts and Todd Bowles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers all landed lower on the list.
Taylor is dealing with a franchise that has made its urgency plain. Joe Burrow has stressed the “level of urgency” to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2022, and Cincinnati has already pushed chips into the middle by trading the 2026 No. 10 overall draft pick for star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. That kind of move puts a spotlight squarely on the coach to deliver.
Steichen’s situation comes with a different kind of pressure. The Colts spent heavily in free agency this offseason and have been close to the postseason since he arrived in 2023, but never quite over the line. Their 2025 season opened with a dominant 7-1 run before Daniel Jones tore his Achilles and the momentum disappeared, leaving Steichen with no real runway left for excuses.
Bowles is in a rough spot of his own. Tampa Bay seemed to be slipping out of contention last season, and the locker room appeared to go with it.
Mike Evans, one of the franchise’s biggest stars, effectively gave up on the Super Bowl-winning sideline general by joining the San Francisco 49ers. The Buccaneers also benefited from the NFC South being what it is, since an 8-9 record would have been enough to win the division if not for a costly tiebreaker.
LaFleur may not be out of the woods, and no one is pretending the Packers’ issues have disappeared. But in a league where the pressure meter changes fast, there are several coaches carrying a heavier load right now.
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Havrisik, a little-used practice squad option filling in while Brandon McManus was out, delivered from deep enough to briefly reset the conversation around the position. It did not solve the larger question facing Green Bay, but it did give the Packers an answer nobody really expected, and one that may linger as they keep searching for stability on special teams. [Read more 🡒]
Micah Parsons Back In Dallas Will Stir Up Packers Fans
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Packers May Have A Quiet Tight End Safety Net Waiting
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Jacksonville looks like one of those places to watch, with competition at tight end creating a possible squeeze behind the top names. The player in question has a modest recent production line and a contract that does not make him impossible to move, which gives Green Bay some options if it wants to add insurance without making a big investment. If the Packers decide to act, the route could come through trade talks or by waiting to see how the final roster cuts shake out. [Read more 🡒]